Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: At this press conference, I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 12 general and other measures and also cabinet orders and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister of Finance made a statement concerning a report on the international investment position of Japan as of the end of 2011 and a report on Japan's 2011 international balance of payments, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made a statement concerning temporary acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on an overseas visit.

In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Minister Motohisa Furukawa and Minister Masaharu Nakagawa made a statement concerning the meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Economic Revival through Women's Active Participation, which will be held today, and Minister Shozaburo Jimi made a statement concerning the appointment of Mr. Masamichi Kono, Vice Commissioner for International Affairs of the Financial Services Agency, as Chairman of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

Q&As

• The cancellation of Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong's visit to Japan
• The wide-area disposal of debris from the disaster-affected regions (the trial disposal in Kitakyushu City)

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question about the visit to Japan by China's top uniformed military officer, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong. Arrangements were being made for his visit from May 24 and his meeting with the Prime Minister. According to reports, China gave notice of the cancellation of the visit on May 19. Can you verify the facts?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: Although arrangements were being made in light of the possibility of his visit to Japan in the coming days, his visit to Japan in the near future has become difficult due to his work commitments.

REPORTER: There are views that this may have been driven by the worsening Japan-China relations, including the Japanese Government's issuance of a visa to Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer and the issue of the purchase of the Senkaku Islands. What is the view of the Government?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The Government is of the understanding that his visit to Japan in the near future is difficult due to his work commitments. At any event, the scheduling will still be coordinated.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: I have a question regarding the debris from the earthquake and tsunami. As the Government seeks cooperation for the wide-area disposal, trial incineration will be starting in Kitakyushu City in western Japan. Can you discuss your thoughts on this as well as your outlook on achieving the goal of completing the disposal by March 2014?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The Government, including the Prime Minister, asked the entire nation to cooperate with the wide-area disposal, and a number of areas have indicated that they will respond to our request. In this context, I believe it has been announced that from tomorrow to May 25, disaster waste from Ishinomaki will be disposed on a trial basis in Kitakyushu City. Kitakyushu City has said that it is thinking of accepting a total of under 40,000 tons I believe. I believe this trial disposal for the time being will incinerate around 80 tons. Through confirming all aspects of safety related to transport, incineration, and landfill and so on, we hope that this will lead to full-scale acceptance. As this is also the first case of disposing debris from Ishinomaki City, which has overwhelmingly a lot of debris, I believe the trial disposal is very significant. In order to achieve the goal of completing the disposal of disaster waste from the disaster area by March 2014, the Government still needs to continue to ask for cooperation with the wide-area disposal. While continuing to ask for cooperation, the Government would like to achieve the goal of completing the disposal by the end of March 2014.

(Abridged)