Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Q&As

• The Senkaku Islands
• The drifting matters washed out by the Great East Japan Earthquake (the so-called tsunami debris)

REPORTER: How are the negotiations for the purchase of the Senkaku Islands progressing with the land owner?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: As I have been saying to date, the Government has been working to identify the details of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's (TMG) purchase plan, but I am aware that TMG surveyed the islands from a seafaring vessel. At the same time, as I have always stated, in the interests of maintaining and managing the islands in a peaceful and stable manner, the Government is conducting comprehensive analysis of the matter and is in communication with individuals at different levels, including the land owner, and TMG officials, as TMG has expressed its interest. To address your question in relation to negotiations with the land owner, I will not discuss any of the details of negotiations as the land owner is a private citizen and this matter is related to the individual's rights.

REPORTER: I have another question on the same matter. You have just informed us that the Government is currently conducting negotiations with the land owner. When does the Government anticipate concluding negotiations and when do you think the Government will be able to come to a final decision? The APEC summit will conclude on September 9, do you expect to come to a decision after that? What kind of schedule are you working to?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: You seem to have asked the question assuming that the timing has something to do with the APEC summit, but this is not the case. The owner is a private citizen and we have been in communication with the individual, however we are not required to come to a decision before a specific time. The Government is currently leasing the islands and we are patiently working to maintaining and managing the islands is a peaceful and stable manner. The land owner has expressed an interest in selling the islands and we have been having discussions. This is not an issue with a definitive deadline.

(Abridged)

REPORTER: It has been reported that in relation to the debris that has washed ashore in foreign countries, the Japanese Government is currently considering covering the related cleanup cost. Could you tell us if this is the case?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: The drifting matters washed out by the Great East Japan Earthquake (the so-called tsunami debris) are of great concern to the Japanese Government. The Government has established the interagency council on comprehensive measures to address tsunami debris. The council has predicted the potential path of the debris and has also shared information and exchanged thoughts and opinions with relevant authorities in the United States and Canada. We are currently in the process of investigating possible options in coming to a decision, including goodwill cooperation, while duly considering the opinions of the United States and other countries. I have been informed that it is expected that large amounts of debris will start reaching the west coast of North America by fall this year; therefore we are now in the process of coming to an arrangement and hope to do so as early as possible.