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The Grand Drawing Room was situated on the north side of the Kantei on the second floor, while the Prime Minister's Office was located on the south side of the second floor. As the north side of the Kantei was higher than the south, there was a difference in height although both rooms were on the same floor. Approaching the Grand Drawing Room from the Prime Minister's Office you had to climb a set of stairs, and consequently, the Grand Drawing Room was one of the highest rooms in the Kantei. From the north-facing windows of the Grand Drawing Room you could see the National Diet Building and the ginkgo-lined avenues. Leaves of ginkgo told you changes in the seasons. The Grand Drawing Room had 111m2 of floor space making it the third largest room in the Kantei after the Grand Hall, used to hold banquets, and the Large Dining Room, used for various meetings. The Grand Drawing Room was originally used as a space for the Prime Minister to hold meetings with distinguished guests from Japan and abroad, as well as a place to conduct press briefings. In later years, the room was mainly used for various ministerial meetings.
The West Staircase The Office of the Chief Cabinet Secretary