Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would first like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved seven general measures, and also the promulgation of treaties, cabinet orders and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Prime Minister Noda and I made statements concerning the implementation of a ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Prime Minister Noda and Deputy Prime Minister Okada made a statement concerning the basic policy on the structural and organizational review of independent administrative organizations. The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the result of the policy evaluation relating to the prevention of child abuse. In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Okada made a statement concerning the follow-up to the proposal-based policy review by the Government Revitalization Unit.

Next, I would like to report about the implementation of a ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Today the Cabinet decided that on Sunday, March 11 this year, the Government will host a ceremony to commemorate the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The ceremony is scheduled to be attended by Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress and representatives from all sectors of society. The Prime Minister and I made statements concerning the ceremony and the Prime Minister gave instructions for the ceremony, predominantly to Minister for Reconstruction in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake Hirano. As of today a Preparation Office for the Ceremony to Commemorate the First Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake has been established in the Minister's Secretariat of the Cabinet Office. For further details please direct your questions to this office.

(Abridged)

Next, I would like to report on the holding of the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V). In September last year at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Prime Minister Noda announced that Japan would host TICAD V in 2013. Following this announcement it has been decided that the conference will be held for a three day period from Saturday, June 1 to Monday, June 3, 2013, in Yokohama. In addition the Second Awarding Ceremony of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize is scheduled to take place in conjunction with TICAD V.

Q&As

REPORTER: I have a question concerning the commemoration ceremony for the Great East Japan Earthquake. This will be the first such commemoration ceremony to be held by the national government. Could you tell us of the aims of this ceremony and the reasons behind why it will be held in Tokyo and not in the disaster-affected regions?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The Great East Japan Earthquake was unprecedented in its scale and magnitude, affecting an extremely wide area of Japan and claiming a very large number of victims, as well as having a tremendous impact on the lives of people around the country. Accordingly, it was felt that it would be important for the Government to hold a national event to commemorate the first anniversary of the disaster and remember those affected. With regard to the decision to hold the ceremony in Tokyo, I believe that in addition to the national government the regional governments will also be holding their own ceremonies to commemorate the disaster. Given that various ceremonies will be held in the three prefectures of the Tohoku region and also in various municipalities, the decision was made to hold the national ceremony in our nation's capital, Tokyo, as a symbol of the nation's commemoration of the unprecedented Great East Japan Earthquake, which claimed so many victims.

(Abridged)