Remarks by H.E. Toshio KUNIKATA
at the Reception in Commemoration of the Great East Japan Earthquake : towards "Open Reconstruction"

Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for your joining us today to commemorate the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th last year and the huge number of victims of the unprecedented large scale earthquake and the following devastating TSUNAMI.

At the outset of this reception, I would like to ask you for a moment of silence for all the victims of this natural catastrophe.

( Thank you very much.)

On behalf of the Government and the People of Japan, I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to you all for your profound condolences, warm sympathy and the firm solidarity you extended to us immediately after the earthquake and the TSUNAMI. A great deal of relief money and donations has been sent to Japan from 163 governments of countries and regions, 43 international organizations, as well as from a large number of non-governmental organizations, businesses and individuals. Thanks to those warm, kind and valuable supports, assistances and cooperation in various kinds of forms, we were able to start our efforts towards the reconstruction.

Japan's reconstruction has made steady progress. Four supplementary budgets were passed by the diet in order to facilitate the reconstruction. The Reconstruction Agency was newly established for the efficient coordination of various kinds of reconstruction activities. The Special Zones for Reconstruction were designated in the affected areas, in which the companies are able to enjoy financial favorable measures, such as five-year tax exemption or Reconstruction Grant and so on. Japan will further accelerate its reconstruction and will work for the revitalization of the Japanese economy. Japan cordially welcomes foreign investments and sightseeing visits, which will contribute to the reconstruction.

Most areas of Japan, except some restricted areas, are already returned to the normal situation. Even in the affected areas, the economic activities are back to the level of that before the earthquake. Business, tourism and studying in Japan are on a track to recovery. We expect between 2 and 3 % of economic growth this year for the whole Japan. Please visit Japan for business, study, and tourism, etc., without undue worries. Today, with the kind cooperation of the Panasonic AVC Networks Czech, we are going to show the DVDs and the photos relating to the reconstruction. You will see that the reconstruction process is steadily going forwards.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The system and the measures for testing the safety of food in Japan are very accurate and strict. Through those measures, Japan can assure you that only the safe foods are allowed to be exported. Japan has been promptly providing the international community with accurate information, including the nation's current situations and the safety of products made in Japan. As Japan will continue to provide scientific data in a timely manner, Japan would like to call on all countries to review and relax their import restrictions appropriately, corresponding to the latest situation.

As for the Fukushima nuclear power station, we were able to bring the damaged reactors to the "cool shutdown" condition by the end of last year. It means that we are able to keep the temperature of those reactors constantly below 100 degrees Celsius and also to keep the radioactivity at a sufficiently low level. It is Japan's responsibility to share the knowledge and lessons learned from the disaster with the international community. In order to contribute to enhancing international nuclear safety, Japan will organize the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in co-sponsorship with the IAEA in December this year. Japan has been also making every effort to decontaminate the affected areas, ensure the health management, restore food safety, pay compensation and decommission the reactors.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Japan will "turn the tables" or transform challenges into opportunities concerning various issues such as post-disaster reconstruction and revitalization, disaster risk reduction, a shift to a "green economy", the declining birthrate and aging society and so on and will offer the world a model as a "lead runner in addressing these challenges". For this, we have still a long way to go, but I believe in the resilience, diligence and patience of the Japanese People. Therefore, I am sure that we will be able to overcome the difficulties and that such a day will come in the future.

I would like to conclude my remarks by thanking all of you for your kindness as well as warm sympathy to Japan.

Thank you very much for your attention.

( END )