[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the inauguration ceremony for the Children and Child-Rearing Headquarters and delivered an address to the Headquarters staff.

In his address, the Prime Minister said,

“Today marks the start of our new support system for children and child-rearing. To mark this new beginning, I have just taken part in raising the signboard for the Children and Child-Rearing Headquarters. Children are truly both Japan’s treasure and our future.

We will provide thorough support for children’s growth. This is very important work, and is one of the top priorities of the Abe administration. However, up until now, support for child-rearing and education has been divided between two ministries – the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Under that system, there were strong ministry and agency barriers. In the past, I myself served as Director of the Social Affairs Division for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and, for some reason or another, when it came to fiscal support such as budget allocation, there was conflict with Diet members having vested interests in MEXT. Of course, that was in the past, but now, at long last, a proper control tower has been built. I would like each of you to think of yourselves as an integral part of this control tower. 

These fiscal support measures have now been integrated, and this Headquarters will have jurisdiction over registered centers for early childhood education. From now on, this Headquarters will integrate measures to address the declining birthrate, and I hope that new policies will also be communicated from here.

I would like this Headquarters to carry out its functions to the fullest, so that citizens are glad it was established, feel that child-rearing has become easier as a result, and are encouraged to get married and have children, so that many people can experience the joys of having and raising children. I would like Japan to become that kind of country, and request your assistance in making it so. I would like to conclude my remarks by expressing strong hope that, under the guidance of Minister Arimura, you will all carry out your mission. Thank you very much.”