Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Prime Minister Delivers Speech at the Japan National Press Club

Prime Minister Taro Aso delivered a speech entitled, A "Society Providing Peace of Mind which I Seek to Achieve," at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. In this speech, the Prime Minister explained about a society providing peace of mind to its members which Japan should seek to achieve, with the report of the Council for the Realization of a Reassuring Society, issued on June 15, acting as a blueprint for the society and as the path toward it.

In the speech, the Prime Minister said, "In the future, a society which provides peace of mind to its members cannot be created along the same lines as those we have followed in the past. The society which provides peace of mind to its members which I seek to achieve is one that has to be built by each one of us. When I say a 'society which provides peace of mind to its members,' this does not mean a passive society in which people are pampered. Rather, it is a society in which roles and responsibilities are shared by each one of us. It is a society in which people, across the generations, support and trust each other, in their families and in their communities. The Future Development Strategy, announced in April, and the report of the Council for the Realization of a Reassuring Society, prepared in June, constitute a map which shows the way to achieve a society which provides peace of mind to its members. I should like to bring about such a society based on them."

Prime Minister Aso concluded the speech by saying, "Many among the Japanese public are dissatisfied with politics in this country. This is because Japanese politics is not meeting public expectations. I believe we must reflect seriously on this matter. There is no magic, nor is there a silver bullet that will restore people's trust in politics. The only way is to answer each one of the people's dissatisfactions and demands. I will change the politics of Japan. It is the will to change in order to safeguard Japan that will make Japan a strong and bright nation once more. I am responsible for the next step in this development."

Related Link

• Speech by Prime Minister Taro Aso on A "Society Providing Peace of Mind which I Seek to Achieve" (June 25, 2009)