Skip to Content

PRIME MINISTER'S DIARY

PM Addresses the Foreign Media

On March 3, before a Group Interview with eighteen foreign press organizations, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made an opening statement in which he addressed three key points.

Regarding "reconstruction of disaster-affected regions," he said, "The infrastructure and economy of the disaster-affected regions are steadily recovering. The supply chain for the manufacturing sector has been completely restored. Production levels in the mining and manufacturing sector have now recovered to levels that exceed those prior to the disaster. More than 80 percent of disaster-affected local governments have completed the formulation of a 'Reconstruction Plan,' which includes ambitious targets to become 'global models' for the introduction of renewable energies and development of hubs for advanced medicine. Through the realization of these plans, it is our aim to generate reconstruction-led demand in a tangible way."

On the issue of "food safety and health management," the Prime Minister said, "At the end of last year I announced the achievement of a state of cold shutdown of the nuclear reactors, but the fight against the nuclear accident will continue until the reactors are decommissioned. We will continue to give first priority to food safety and the health management of residents in the vicinity of the power station. We have further strengthened the system of monitoring and testing of food products, which has been in place since directly after the disaster. From April this year it is planned that new standards will be introduced concerning regulation values of radioactive materials in food products, which are stricter than previously."

Regarding "contribution to the international community," Prime Minister Noda said, "To repay the kindness and assistance shown to Japan by the international community at the time of the disaster, I would like to assure you that Japan will not become inward looking and that we will continue to make an active international contribution to human security and sustainable global economic growth, utilizing such means as the dispatch of peacekeeping operations (PKO) and provision of Official Development Assistance (ODA). Above all, one of Japan's most important responsibilities is to share the knowledge and lessons gained from the disaster with the international community, and leave this body of knowledge to posterity."

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•