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 17 general and other measures and also a draft bill, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made a statement concerning the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry made a statement concerning Japan's holding of The Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made a statement concerning the emergency grant aid for the presidential election in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and Prime Minister Noda made a statement concerning a temporary acting Minister while a Minister in charge is on an overseas visit. In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Okada made a statement concerning the follow-up of the proposal-based policy review of the Government Revitalization Unit, and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the advancement of the date of provision of special tax grants.

Next, with regard to the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems, as you recall, the draft plan was approved by the Headquarters of the Government and Ruling Parties for Social Security Reform on January 6 of this year, and today, the Cabinet approved this as the outlines. In light of the outlines being approved today, the Prime Minister told the meeting that everyone shall: 1) Work hard to submit the bills related to the reform of social security and taxation systems; 2) Continue to urge the ruling and opposition parties to hold discussions; 3) In parallel with the comprehensive reform, make concerted efforts to also work on  administrative reform, political reform, and economic revival; and 4) Continue to make every effort to realize the comprehensive reform with the Government and ruling party working as one. Based on today's approval of the outlines, the Government will work earnestly to submit the relevant bills and continue to urge the ruling and opposition parties to hold discussions.

Next, I would like to speak about Prime Minister Noda's Video Message to the People. While it was just a moment ago that the Cabinet approved the outlines for the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems, the Government will straight away do more to provide clear explanations to the people about the significance of the "comprehensive reform" and to make a case for its importance. As part of this initiative, Prime Minister Noda has recorded a video message in which he addresses each and every person. The video message will be made available from today on the website of the Prime Minister's Office for everyone to see. It will be available for viewing momentarily, starting at 10:15am. This has been realized with the strong wish of Prime Minister Noda to make a direct appeal to the people, using his own words. I hope many people will listen to the message, spoken in the Prime Minister's "raw voice," for all generations - the baby boomer generation, the current and young generations, and the child-raising generation. For details about the content and other matters, please direct your questions to the Cabinet Public Relations Office.

Next, I would like to speak about the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee. A meeting of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee will be held at the Prime Minister's Office next Monday, on February 20, from 5:00pm. On January 20, it was announced that the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICADV) will be held over three days from June 1, 2013 in Yokohama and that the Second Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Presentation Ceremony is also planned to be held on this occasion. Based on this, the Committee has organized this meeting. The meeting is scheduled to discuss the selection process for the Second Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize and other matters. For further details, please forward your questions to the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Unit of the Cabinet Office.

Q&As

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Regarding the ministerial conference on nuclear safety in Fukushima that you mentioned a moment ago in relation to the Cabinet meeting, is it from December 15 to 17? Is that correct?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Yes.

REPORTER: Can you discuss what the significance is of holding this conference in Fukushima?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: With regard to the dates, I do not have the precise information with me right now. Could I ask you to hold onto your question a little while longer? And your other question was about significance. A variety of verification and research findings are expected to be produced by the end of this year regarding the Great East Japan Earthquake in which there is much global interest, and therefore, the plan is to assemble various countries together to hold this sort of meeting in Fukushima.