Home > News > Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary > November 2011 > Monday, November 28, 2011 (PM)
Monday, November 28, 2011 (PM)
Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)
[Provisional Translation]
Q&As
REPORTER: The first meeting of Senior Vice Ministers concerning revisions to the Three Principles on Arms Exports was recently convened. Could you give us an overview of the discussions in that meeting, and your outlook for the pace at which discussions will proceed and around when you expect a conclusion to be forthcoming?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: With regard to the Three Principles on Arms Exports, the new National Defense Program Guidelines states that consideration will be made about measures in response to changes in the international environment regarding defense equipment. There was also a request received from the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the form of recommendations from the party concerning the overseas transfer of defense-related equipment. Based on these considerations, the Government is in the process of considering measures to respond to changes in the international environment regarding defense equipment from a wide range of perspectives, and it was for this reason that the first Senior Vice Minister-level meeting was held today, as an informal meeting, with the participation of Senior Vice Ministers from ministries and agencies concerned. With regard to the specific content of considerations, as it is an informal meeting there is nothing that I can report to you.
(Abridged)
REPORTER: There has been an announcement that Mr. Yoshida, the head of Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, has resigned from his post due to hospitalization. As it is Mr. Yoshida who has headed operations at the power station since the accident, what impact do you think his departure will have?
CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I am aware of the announcement from TEPCO that he will be replaced as of December 1.Inquiries could be made to TEPCO concerning the content of the announcement, and the Government will continue to exert every effort to ensure that this personnel matter does not impact efforts to bring the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to a conclusion. I have heard that a successor has already been announced.
