Launch Ceremony of the Children and Families Agency

 
On April 3, 2023, Prime Minister Kishida attended a launch ceremony of the Children and Families Agency.

Prime Minister Kishida said in his address,
 
“Let me begin by offering a few words to all the participants today. Hello, everyone. I am KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan. Thank you very much for coming all the way here today during the spring break.
 
The Children and Families Agency was founded on April 1 as a new organization that will play a leading role in the government’s work on children.
 
Each and every child is precious.
 
What would be the best for children? While always keeping this in mind, we will realize a society where you will grow healthily and happily, or a society in which the interests of children take center stage. This is the agency’s mission.
 
I believe that what is important above all in bringing a children-centered society into reality is to listen to the voices of children, take them seriously, and reflect them in tangible policies.
 
I promise you that all the officials of the agency will work under an important basic principle of their work that they will always refer to: valuing your opinions and considering and formulating policies together with you. I would appreciate your cooperation.
 
Now let me say a few words to the officials of the Children and Families Agency. The agency is facing a pile of challenges in policies related to children and child-rearing. This is exactly why you should place importance on actual settings and respect firsthand opinions of children and those raising children, thereby pushing ahead with effective measures that will serve real needs.
 
The agency is comprised of diverse human resources, including not only national government officials, but also local government officials and those from the public sector. I hope that you will take full advantage of this, work closely together, and proceed with broad initiatives from a wide perspective.
 
Moreover, I request agency officials, as those concerned in child-rearing, to be the first to ensure that both parents work and raise their children as well as make time to spend with children. To this end, I ask you to strive to create a flexible environment where you can work comfortably, through encouraging officials, especially male officials, to take childcare leave, securing intervals between shifts and taking sufficient rest after overtime work, and advancing digital transformation such as promoting teleworking and going paperless, among other measures.
 
I would like to conclude my message to you on the occasion of the establishment of the Children and Families Agency in the hope that with these initiatives, the agency, which commenced operations today, will lead efforts to create a society that is children-friendly and makes it easier to raise children. Thank you.”