Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida on His Visit to Dementia Care and Childcare Center

（On the purposes and thoughts he had when he visited “DAYS BLG!” and “Child Center Maachi” and how he plans to reflect them in the upcoming policies）

Today, I visited the city of Machida to see in the morning “DAYS BLG!,” a social participation type day-care facility, and in the afternoon “Child Center Maachi,” which accommodates children. I also exchanged views with those concerned at each location.

In the morning session, I firsthand saw people practicing the new concept of “living with dementia with hope,” which was included in a report compiled by the “Council for the Realization of an Aging Society that Addresses Dementia” at the end of last year. I realized that, in order to ensure that this new concept is well rooted in society, we must make nationwide efforts so that even those with dementia will be able to continue to work and contribute to their community. Specifically, social participation type services, such as those at “DAYS BLG!,” have been offered exclusively in the form of day care, but we now should make it clear that those services can also be offered at assisted-living facilities, such as a group home. We hope to help expand a wide range of efforts nationwide by capitalizing on this philosophy to include it in a national plan to be compiled based on the Basic Act on Dementia, as well as to formulate plans at municipal levels.

In the afternoon session, I once again felt the importance of listening to opinions from children and young people and reflecting them in various policies. I was really impressed that the city of Machida not only incorporates opinions from children and young people regarding the city’s various projects, but also invites them to participate in the assessment of the projects. The Government has introduced projects like “Children and Young People: Opinion Plus” to implement measures reflecting their opinions, and we now plan to follow the example of the city of Machida by inviting children and young people to participate in the assessment of the Government’s policies for children.

To establish this new framework, I have just given instructions to study specific measures to Minister of State KATO through State Minister Kudo. As I have long mentioned, in order to realize a “KODOMO MANNAKA (Children-Centered) Society,” it is important to raise momentum for the entire society to assist children and households raising children. This was the instructive lesson that I once again learned today.

The Government will work with economic organizations and other entities to formulate a specific action plan to raise momentum of the entire society while listening to opinions from experts. In doing so, we plan to invite children and young people to participate in this process so that their opinions will be reflected in the plan. That’s all from me.