Prime Minister Naoto Kan held the first meeting of the Headquarters to Promote the Revival of the Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Industries at the Diet building.

The Headquarters was established within the Cabinet in order to promote both high-level Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and the improvement of Japan's food self-sufficiency and revitalization of its agriculture industry and rural communities, and also in order to take measures aimed at fostering sustainable and strong agriculture.

Discussion took place on the schedule of the Headquarters and the establishment of a Council for the Realization of the Revival of the Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Industries.

Based on the discussion at the meeting, Prime Minister Kan said, "This Headquarters is tasked with advancing efforts in line with decisions laid down in the Basic Policy on Comprehensive Economic Partnerships agreed to on November 9, which calls for both the promotion of the revival of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; and of EPAs.
Comprised of all the Cabinet members, the Headquarters will make substantive decisions. Additionally, we have decided to establish a Council for the Revival of the Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Industries.
In addition to relevant ministers, the Council will be comprised of experienced experts from the private sector who will share various ideas with us.
For my part, I intend to visit as many places in Japan as possible in order to draw up a clear image of how agriculture should be as we move forward.
I included 'the revival of the food, agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries' in the names of the Headquarters and Council this time in the strong belief that there must be methods which can revive the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries in such a way as to create added value. I would like to make sure that this time especially, Japan's agriculture will be revived as a strong industry; one about which Japan can be proud."