Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held the 12th meeting of the Headquarters for the Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake at the Prime Minister's Office.

Discussion took place on the establishment of the Reconstruction Agency, progress on major issues and responses to be taken, the status of consideration for a Bill on Special Measures for Fukushima Reconstruction and Revitalization (provisional title), and the reconstruction-related budget for FY2012.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said, "So far 12 meetings of the Headquarters for the Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake have been held. The Headquarters has been the main body to discuss the reconstruction of disaster-affected regions, but this will be taken over by the Reconstruction Agency, which will be inaugurated on February 10, as was decided today.
Following this, Reconstruction Bureaus will be established in Morioka, Sendai, and Fukushima Cities. Furthermore, branch offices will be established in Miyako, Kamaishi, Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, Minamisoma, and Iwaki Cities, and administration offices will be established in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, and Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
I believe that going forward the Reconstruction Agency will act as a control tower, playing a central role in responding to the requests of the disaster-affected regions in a comprehensive and fine-tuned manner, thereby expediting the efforts toward reconstruction. We must continue to provide steady support for these efforts.
In addition to this, the Diet session will start tomorrow. I would like everyone to join efforts to have the FY2012 budget, including the 2 trillion yen for the Reconstruction Agency, enacted at the earliest date possible, together with the Bill on Special Measures for Fukushima Reconstruction and Revitalization discussed today."