============================================================
Fukuda Cabinet E-mail Magazine No.32 (May 22, 2008)
============================================================
"Why we need to establish an Agency for Consumer Affairs.
This is Yasuo Fukuda."
-- Message from the Prime Minister (Provisional Translation)
Why we need to establish an Agency for Consumer Affairs.
This is Yasuo Fukuda.
"A similar accident occurred 10 years ago. Then why..."
On Monday, I met the mother of Mr. Hiroyuki Joushima, a young man
who lost his life as the result of a gas water heater accident,
and the mother of Mr. Ryunosuke Murata, a boy who died from
asphyxiation when eating konnyaku jelly, and I listened to their
stories.
"If the public authorities and the companies concerned had begun to
take action immediately after the first similar accidents happened,
our own children would not have suffered harm" is the sort of
thought that would come naturally to every parent.
"The scars we bear from losing a precious family member will remain
with us as long as we live."
Mrs. Joushima and Mrs. Murata were choked with tears as they said
these words to me. Confronted with their grief, I could only think
that I should do all in my power to ensure that such tragedies are
never again repeated.
It came to light that over-compartmentalized administration is
the background to these sorts of incidents in which similar
accidents are repeated: problems include a lack of clarification
as to which ministry or agency should be in charge of the accidents
concerned, a failure to properly deliver information on accidents
to the responsible department, and a tendency for issues to be
neglected for long periods.
"For my dead son's sake, I hope for the establishment
of a government agency that truly takes the standpoint
of the consumers."
We must not allow problems in the administration to result in any
increase in the number of people suffering harm. At the earliest
possible juncture, I will establish a new organization for consumer
protection, which will share the perspective of the consumers: the
Agency for Consumer Affairs.
Following the large-scale earthquake in Sichuan Province in China,
the Japan Disaster Relief Rescue Team was the first foreign team to
commence rescue work in the afflicted areas. Additionally,
this week we have dispatched a Japan Disaster Relief Medical Team
in response to a request from China. The medical team will carry
out life-saving and treatment activities.
These Japanese rescue activities have been reported in China too,
and the Chinese people have responded with many messages showing
their appreciation.
With the best wishes of the people of both countries, I would like
the members of the medical team to do their best to save as many
lives as possible.
* Profile of the Prime Minister
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/hukudaprofile/index_e.html
==========================================================
[What's New in Government Internet TV]
<1ch> Prime Minister
- Prime Minister's Week in Review (April 28 to May 11, 2008)
https://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/eng/prg/prg1793.html
- Japan-China Summit Meeting -Visit by President Hu Jintao to Japan
(May 6 to 8, 2008)
https://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/eng/prg/prg1794.html
* Please click below to open "Japanese Government Internet
TV" in English.
https://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/eng/index.html
==========================================================
[What's up around the Prime Minister]
- The Prime Minister Exchanges Opinions on TICAD IV
with Ms. Sadako Ogata and Ms. Mayu Tsuruta
(Tuesday, May 20, 2008) and others
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/hukudaphoto/index_e.html
* Please click below to open the online magazine
"Highlighting JAPAN," which introduces the main policies of
the Japanese Government, as well as Japan's arts, culture,
science and technology, among other topics.
http://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/
==========================================================
[Fukuda Cabinet E-mail Magazine]
- Reader's Comment on the e-mail magazine is available only to the subscribers.
- Click below to make comments on administration of Japan
https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment.html
- Subscription and cancellation of this e-mail magazine
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/m-magazine/
==========================================================
General Editor | : | Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda |
Chief Editor | : | Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matushige Oono |
Publication | : | Cabinet Public Relations Office 1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968, Japan |