After participating in the Peace Memorial Ceremony on the 6th, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a press conference at a hotel in Naka-ku, Hiroshima. The Prime Minister expressed a positive attitude toward a policy of assistance towards survivors living outside Japan, saying, "I want to adopt the appropriate assistance measures."

Regarding how long it would take to reach a decision, the Prime Minister said he wished to wait until the commission established by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to reconsider the Atomic Bomb Survivor's Support Law formulates a fixed policy within the year. The Prime Minister expects to reach a decision based on the policy formulated by the commission.

The Prime Minister spoke to the issue of the inscription explaining the displays in the National Memorial Hall in Hiroshima for the Atomic Bomb Deceased that the national government is presently constructing in Peace Memorial Park. Concerning the problem of the demand by survivor organizations for inclusion of the sentence, "Mistaken national policy led to war," he limited his response to, "We will study the issue from various perspectives and seek expert opinion in order to arrive at a suitable solution."

Concerning the possibility of an official visit to Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of the end of the war, the Prime Minister said, "I am presently thinking about it in an open manner." He did not specify a time limit for making the decision.

(caption) Prime Minister Koizumi indicated a positive stance toward assistance to survivors living in other countries at a press conference.