Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� June, 2004

Campaign against Drug Abuse Thursday, June 17, 2004 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi received a courtesy call from the Muchachita, a group of six elementary and lower secondary school girls who are the poster models selected for the Campaign against Drug Abuse, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. Recently, drug abuse including use of narcotics has emerged as one of the most serious social issues faced by humankind, widely spreading throughout the entire world, threatening not only people's lives but also the stability of societies and countries. Japan is also in a serious situation as lack of caution and resistance to drug abuse persists among the youths including lower and upper secondary school students. Against such a backdrop, the Government is implementing the "No, Absolutely No!" publicity campaign with the intention to further promote the prevention of drug abuse. As has been the case in the past, the "June 26 Young Street Corner Campaign" under the "No, Absolutely No!" publicity campaign will take place nationwide again this year around June 26, designated as the "International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking." Prime Minister Koizumi, who also serves as a head of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Measures to Prevent Drug Abuse, handed the six members of Muchachita a message to all of the people who will participate in the campaign. Muchachita handed Prime Minister Koizumi informational goods to be used for the Campaign against Drug Abuse such as a framed copy of the poster and a T-shirt.