Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

A meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Council for Contaminated Water and Decommissioning Issues
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Today a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Council for Contaminated Water and Decommissioning Issues was held. This meeting was established in accordance with the basic policy for contaminated water countermeasures that was compiled by the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters on September 3, with the aim of bringing together the combined efforts of the Government to implement with certainty more dynamic countermeasures. At the first meeting today, in terms of specific measures based on the recently established basic policy, the meeting received a report from the On-site Coordination Meeting for Contaminated Water Countermeasures, which was held on site yesterday, and also received a report about the establishment of a cross-governmental Contaminated Water and Decommissioning Issues Team. In addition, the meeting discussed specific actions as response measures to deal with the issues relating to decommissioning and contaminated water. The meeting also confirmed response measures to the contaminated water issue, including measures to utilize knowledge from Japan and overseas, preventive and multi-layered response measures, efforts to ensure that the response is focused at the site itself, and measures to strengthen international information provision. For further details, please direct your questions to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Q&As

• The contaminated water issue

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the contaminated water issue. In his recent presentation as part of the bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, Prime Minister Abe stated that the impact of the contaminated water was completely blocked within the grounds of the power station and you have also made similar statements. However the construction of the silt fence around the power station has gaps, like a curtain, and in a simulation that was announced by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in August, it was noted that during the course of one day approximately 50 percent of the water within the area of the fence is replaced by water from outside the fence. In that sense the expression that the area within the power station is totally blocked off is different to what TEPCO is saying and is highly likely to cause misunderstanding. What is your view?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The Prime Minister did indeed state that the impact of the contaminated water is being completely blocked. The Government is engaged in monitoring of the seas close to Japan's shoreline and waters in the vicinity to check the concentration of radioactive materials. The results of this monitoring have shown that the impact of the contaminated water is limited to an area of less than 0.3 square kilometers within the harbor of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. In addition, the concentrations of radioactive materials even within the harbor are below set standard values. Furthermore, the results of monitoring of the seas in the vicinity of Japan have shown that over a wide area from the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture down to Chiba Prefecture, including Fukushima Prefecture, concentrations of radioactive cesium are at most one five-hundredth of the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water quality guidelines and therefore are extremely low and present no problem whatsoever. It was in view of this situation that the Prime Minister stated that the impact of the contaminated water is being completely blocked.

REPORTER: I have an additional question. If we look at the results we can see that it is a fact that concentration levels are very low. However, with regard to the question of whether this is due to a process where the contaminated water is being blocked, or whether it is simply due to a process where it is being diluted by replacement of large quantities of ocean water from outside the fence, these are completely different processes. If the explanation that was provided is different to the reality then it loses all credibility and serves only to create misunderstanding and suspicion. What are your thoughts on how the process has been explained? Is the contaminated water being blocked or is the process one that uses the silt fence?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: The area encompassed by the silt fence is monitored once a week. The results, which have already been made publicly available, show that concentration levels are below set standard values and that even within the 0.3 km2 area of the harbor, concentrations are well below set standard values and the contaminated water is not having an impact. That is why the expression was used that the impact of the contaminated water is being completely blocked.

REPORTER: Does the Government support the view that every day large volumes of seawater are replaced within the harbor area?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I believe that water does flow in and out, yes.

REPORTER: Including through the silt fence?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I think that it is natural that water, although not all water, would flow in and out through the silt fence. However, once a week the area encompassed by the silt fence is properly monitored and the results have shown that concentrations are well below set standard values. In addition, monitoring of the 0.3 km2 harbor area is also being implemented, with similar results that show that the levels are well below set standard values. It is for this reason that the expression was used that the impact of the contaminated water is being completely blocked.

REPORTER: I would have thought that it is important to consider the impact and the actual in-flow and out-flow of water separately with regard to whether the explanation about the processes involved is correct. It has been stated that large volumes of seawater are replaced between the inside and outside of the silt fence and that the water is being diluted. One way of looking at this is that if the concentrations do not decrease, it would suggest that new contaminated water is entering the sea. What are your views on this point and the reason why concentrations are decreasing?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: What I am saying is that the area within the silt fence is thoroughly checked once a week and even within the area encompassed by the fence the concentration levels are below set standard values. The results of the monitoring are provided in detail on the website of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

REPORTER: I am not disputing the figures at all, and I can see for myself that the resulting impact is probably not very large at all, but TEPCO denied that contaminated water is flowing out, including the silt fence, and I get the impression that TEPCO is continuing to deny that this is the case. The explanations as to why the concentration levels are decreasing are completely different, one being that large volumes of seawater are being replaced each day, thus diluting the concentrations, and the other that the outflow is being blocked to a certain degree. This discrepancy could lead to misunderstanding and suspicion.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: For example, if it were the case that concentration levels were not being monitored within the silt fence, then that sort of explanation would be possible. However, given that the 0.3 km2 area of the harbor is being monitored and results have shown that concentrations are well below set standard values, this is the reason why the Prime Minister used the expression that the impact of the contaminated water is being completely blocked. I ask for your understanding on this point.

REPORTER: I understand what you are saying. The conclusion is ultimately the same, but the explanations of the processes involved, namely either that concentrations are low due to dilution by large volumes of seawater, or because contaminated water is being blocked, are entirely different. If there is a possibility that large volumes of radiation are escaping, what is the interpretation of the Government as to why concentrations are decreasing?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: As you know, readings are taken weekly at areas within the boundary of the silt fence, so if highly radioactive water is being released, I believe that it would be reflected in those readings. I would think that as the water passes through the fence and moves into and out of the harbor, the readings would naturally be higher, however, as you know, the readings are in fact very low to the point of being almost negligible. Therefore, I believe that it is not possible that radiation levels within the boundary of the silt fence are actually high but have only been recorded as low because the water has been diluted.

REPORTER: It is possible that the low readings may be attributed to the fact that a large volume of water is moving into and diluting the contaminated water within the area roped off by the silt fence. What are the Government's views on this possibility? When I asked the same question of a director of one of the offices under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, he provided a similar answer, which was extremely difficult to understand. If the Government fails to provide an appropriate explanation as to why radiation levels are lowering when communicating with other countries, they would not even believe that the level is declining. They would be more inclined to believe that what the Government says is untrustworthy. In reality TEPCO was initially denying the leakage of contaminated water itself when a private researcher pointed out what I mentioned. The Government maintains that radiation levels are low, but I am seeking an explanation as to the process by which this is occurring. Could you tell us the Government's view on the possibility that radiation levels are low because the water is being diluted?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: We acknowledge that it is possible. However, silt fences have been erected so as to ensure that the water remains within the fence as much as possible. We take and release readings weekly, which have been within limits. I should also say that the readings are taken from the center of the harbor. I truly hope that you understand that the readings from the center are well below limits; so low that they are almost undetectable.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Moments ago, when you were discussing the Inter-Ministerial Council for Contaminated Water and Decommissioning Issues, you stated that the Government will tackle the issue of the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the contaminated water issue to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. Is my understanding correct that the Government will stand at the forefront to work to resolve not only the contaminated water issue but also the decommissioning issue?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: It is exactly as I stated. The people indeed have extremely deep concerns. Therefore, the Government will come to the forefront to deal with the situation so that reconstruction can be achieved as quickly as possible.

REPORTER: The decommissioning work is expected to be enormously costly. Is it then possible that the Government will cover some of the costs in the place of TEPCO?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: In any case, countermeasures, including what you have mentioned, will be considered. The Government will come to the forefront to work to resolve the root of the problem.

REPORTER: This morning, a short while ago, I believe Minister Shimomura came to the Prime Minister's Office and met with you.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Unfortunately, I did not meet him. (Abridged) As the Minister is a Cabinet member, he attended the meeting on the Fukushima issue. In this context, the Minister expressed appreciation regarding the Olympic bid.