[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 27th Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime at the Prime Minister's Office.

At the meeting, the draft basic plan for countermeasures against the sexual exploitation of children and related issues, the current state of and countermeasures in response to international terrorism, and matters related to the prevention of repeated offences were discussed.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

"With the frequent occurrence of acts of terrorism around the world, Japan, which will be hosting the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in three years' time, must further deepen its cooperation with the international community and, with a sense of crisis, exert every effort to implement counter-terrorism measures.

I would like you to ensure the implementation of the items covered in the basic security strategy. We will strengthen a wide range of efforts, including information collection and analysis and border measures, which will constitute our key counter-terrorism measures. Further, in deepening our cooperation with the international community on counter-terrorism measures, we must ratify the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. We need to take steady steps towards the passing of the bill concerning Tero-to-Junbi-Zai (the offence to criminalize an act in furtherance of planning to commit terrorism and other serious crimes) that is currently being deliberated.
Recently there was a tragic incident in Chiba. It is our responsibility to protect children from these kinds of unforgiveable crimes. Preventing crimes against children is an urgent issue.

Against this backdrop, the sexual exploitation of children must never be allowed.
Based on the basic plan approved today, I would like you to make every effort to ensure the safety of children by robustly implementing a range of measures, including measures for prevention and crackdown, as well as supports for children who have become victims.
In addition, in regard to the prevention of repeated offences, the rate of former prisoners returning to prison has decreased due to various measures. There have also been further achievements, such as a threefold  increase over the past five years in the number of cooperating employers employing former prisoners. At the same time, not only the Government but also municipalities need to carry out long-term measures centered on drug abusers, elderly prisoners, and others. I would like you to further strengthen your efforts to ensure that measures to prevent repeated offences can be advanced in municipalities throughout the country, including new measures that draw on regional strengths.

Good public order is one of Japan's strengths that we can boast to the world, and we must always exert our full efforts in order to continue to sustain this. To make Japan the safest country in the world, I would like ministers to address these issues by collaborating with each other and demonstrating leadership. Thank you."