Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I have one announcement to make, concerning the 20th anniversary since Japan started cooperating in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (PKO), based on the Law concerning Cooperation for United Nations Peace-Keeping Operations and Other Operations. Japan's wide-ranging cooperation has contributed significantly to the peace and stability of the international community, and our activities have received high praise from the international community, including from the United Nations and countries where Japanese PKO personnel have been dispatched. On June 19, which will mark exactly the 20th anniversary since the promulgation of the Law concerning Cooperation for United Nations Peace-Keeping Operations and Other Operations, it has been decided that Japan Post Service Co., Ltd., will issue a set of commemorative stamps to celebrate 20 years of Japan's cooperation in UN PKO activities. The details of the designs have been distributed to you and will be available to view on the Japan Post Service website from today. This is the first announcement made on this topic.

Q&As

• The Government policy in response to a future inland earthquake directly under the Tokyo metropolitan area

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Damage scenarios were released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government yesterday for an inland earthquake directly under the Tokyo metropolitan area. There are a number of press reports that the Government policy is to compile damage scenarios by the end of the year with regard to the damage a magnitude 8-class earthquake directly under Tokyo would cause. What are the facts behind these reports?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Based on our experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Government is currently engaged in considerations for new measures to respond to an inland earthquake directly under the Tokyo metropolitan region. The considerations are focusing on measures to prepare for the largest earthquakes that could strike the metropolitan region, including a response to a magnitude 7-class earthquake, which is considered to be most imminent, in addition to consideration of a magnitude 8-class earthquake striking in the Sagami Trough. We are naturally advancing various measures and considerations in cooperation with other organizations concerned, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, with the goal of compiling damage scenarios by winter 2012 and completing response measures by spring 2013.