Policy Speech by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru to the 217th Session of the Diet
January 24, 2025
[Provisional translation]
- The fundamental axis for nation-building
- Regional Revitalization 2.0 and putting "the Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago" into concrete form
- The economy, public finances, and social security
- Disaster management and public safety
- Foreign and security policy
- Political reform
- Constitutional reform and related matters
- Conclusion
1.The fundamental axis for nation-building
This year marks the 80th year since the end of the war and the 100th anniversary of the start of the Showa era. I will make this a year of looking back on the path Japan has walked thus far and a year of thinking about the new Japan that is to come.
In order to do these things, we must look squarely at the current situation facing Japan.
Japan's working-age population is forecasted to shrink by almost 15 million people over the next 20 years, a decrease of over 20 percent. In light of that, we are called on to verify the socioeconomic systems built up during past eras when the population was expanding and transition over to sustainable systems in which we will place our trust over the medium to long term.
Japan is now in a society in which human resources are dwindling in number. We need to build a society that places value on scarce human resources regardless of their age or whether or not they have a disability. Rephrasing that, it is imperative for us to advance the building of a human-centered nation that makes it possible for each and every citizen to realize happiness. We must build a society that treasures human resources, where all people can feel happiness in a tangible way, and which values people as assets.
In addition, at present with our low degree of self-sufficiency in both food and energy, there is concern that people's lives may be greatly impacted by external events. We need to manage the nation strategically to enable us to safeguard the lives of the Japanese people in a more independent manner.
In creating a new Japan, we must place value on being sustainable and independent. To do that, I believe a shift in our values will be necessary.
According to a book by the late Prof. SAKAIYA Taichi, under the centralized state system of the Meiji Revolution, Japan sought to become "a strong Japan," and during postwar reconstruction and the period of high economic growth, it aimed to become "a prosperous Japan." It continues saying that in the future, our nation should seek to become "an enjoyable Japan."
I sympathize with this way of thinking. In the past, the national government led the way to "a strong Japan," while it was private companies in the vanguard during the push for "a prosperous Japan." Adding to this, from now I want to aim at "an enjoyable Japan" that is spearheaded by people acting as individuals.
What I mean by "an enjoyable Japan" is a vibrant nation where all people feel safety and security, take on challenges to achieve their dreams, and feel tangibly that tomorrow will be brighter than today, and one where individuals having diverse values treat each other with respect and are able to achieve self-actualization.
We will ensure that diplomatic and security structures, systems to make Japan a disaster-resilient nation, and crisis management arrangements to address infectious diseases and other threats are firmly set in place, and we will materialize a growth-oriented economy driven by wage increases and investment. Concurrent with this, we will aim to build a well-balanced nation where people can achieve enjoyment, with the treasuring of human resources as a fundamental principle.
2.Regional Revitalization 2.0 and putting "the Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago" into concrete form
("The Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago")
Central to our policies for bringing about "an enjoyable Japan" is Regional Revitalization 2.0, which my administration will promote vigorously as "the Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago."
Central to our policies for bringing about "an enjoyable Japan" is Regional Revitalization 2.0, which my administration will promote vigorously as "the Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago."
This is not a dichotomy pitting urban and rural areas against each other. On the contrary, we will enhance the appeal of both urban and rural areas as places where each individual can realize a wide array of happiness and well-being, no matter whether one finds urban centers or local areas attractive.
In years past, a plan for "remodeling the Japanese archipelago" championed by then-Prime Minister TANAKA Kakuei sparked a flow of people [to local areas] and had the aim of realizing balanced development across Japan. It took the development of roads, railways, and other "hard" types of infrastructure as its starting point.
Regional Revitalization 2.0 creates regional hubs through joint public and private efforts, draws out to the greatest possible extent the potential held by each local area, and gives rise to a new flow of people to local areas through the appeal of not only "hard" infrastructure but also "soft" local characteristics. Regional Revitalization 2.0 will comprehensively leverage new technologies to rectify the concentration [of people, workplaces, government functions, and so on in Tokyo] and build an economy and a society that are multipolar, decentralized, and diverse.
The Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago has five pillars and will serve to restore the vitality of Japan overall in the midst of intense international competition.
(Local areas chosen by young people and women)
The first pillar of this Reiwa Era remodeling is having local areas that are chosen by young people and women. What is important is having new encounters and realizations, as well as the dreams and possibilities that arise as a result, which cause young people and women to consider their lives in local areas enjoyable.
The first pillar of this Reiwa Era remodeling is having local areas that are chosen by young people and women. What is important is having new encounters and realizations, as well as the dreams and possibilities that arise as a result, which cause young people and women to consider their lives in local areas enjoyable.
In order to expand the flow of new people moving from urban to local areas, we will support activities based in the two areas of one urban and one rural location, with a focus on who we could call the "connected population" that doesn't reside in a rural area but has a steady relationship with it. We will examine how effective it might be to institute, for example, a Local Area Resident Registration System through which people having an ongoing relationship with a particular local area could register there and serve as a driving force participating in activities that help to build up the local community. We will deliver our conclusions on this after considering the potential for this system. We will create an environment in which people outside a community can support local efforts smoothly by, for example, doing their job remotely.
As part of our efforts to advance the proliferation of workplaces that young people and women find both attractive and comfortable to work in, we will aim to eliminate unconscious biases and also submit a bill seeking to rectify wage disparities between men and women. We will boost the momentum of Japan as a whole and broaden the scope of our efforts by pressing forward with holding small-group dialogues and providing support for local communities.
We will listen to the voices of young people and women who are thinking of starting businesses all around the country and enhance our efforts to assist them, including working to resolve obstacles for launching businesses and supporting the creation of networks.
Midsize companies, numbering approximately 9,000 throughout Japan, and growth-oriented small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the mainstay of the economy in our local regions. We will vigorously support growth investment in combination with wage increases at these companies and cultivate the environment to enable the minimum wage and also wages in general to rise in our local regions. We will foster such an environment through various efforts that will include holding in every prefecture a regional version of the Government-Labor-Management Meeting.
To create communities that are comfortable to live in, it will be important for the public and private sectors to together embrace the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies and build up each region's sustainable infrastructure needed for daily life. We will press ahead in developing systems for accelerating the implementation of autonomous driving. We will also advance the sharing of digital medical records and other information among multiple medical facilities and forge ahead in developing systems through which timely medical examinations and treatment can be received through online services, eliminating the need to travel to distant medical institutions.
As the population declines, it will be imperative for us to draw out to the greatest possible extent the potential held by each individual by fostering human resources and reviving and reforming public education, all of which we will achieve through public-private partnership. In working to draw out that potential, the content and quality of the education we provide will be important. We must clearly set out how we wish to raise our children.
We will cultivate human resources who value not only knowledge and capabilities but also history, culture, the community, and the people around them. These human resources will also have the capacity to take action. At universities and agricultural and technical high schools, we will also foster the human resources to support industries and services that correspond with the needs of the local area or take advantage of its charm, such as the tourism industry. We will advance work style reform and improve the treatment, including in terms of salary, of faculty and staff at educational institutions.
To support these efforts, we will enhance flexibility to allow local government employees to hold second jobs or engage in dual employment and conduct a review of the employment circumstances of officials holding fiscal-year appointments, thereby preparing environments where people in communities can fully demonstrate their capabilities. We will also inaugurate a system by which national civil servants stand alongside and support municipalities facing issues and provide “escort runner”-type support in a first-hand manner that conveys their enthusiasm.
(Relocating industry, government, and academia to regional areas and revitalizing local areas)
The second pillar of our Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago is relocating industry, government, and academia to regional areas and revitalizing local areas.
The second pillar of our Reiwa Era remodeling of the Japanese archipelago is relocating industry, government, and academia to regional areas and revitalizing local areas.
The Government will be one step out in front regarding this initiative, pressing forward to transfer relevant government agencies, including the Disaster Management Agency, to regional areas to their optimal location domestically. We will verify the results of the initiatives that have been taken to date and once again solicit proposals from local areas, drawing conclusions one and then another, taking the perspective of determining where the most desirable effects can be achieved for Japan as a whole.
Leveraging the power of the private sector will be indispensable for Regional Revitalization 2.0. We will prepare the environment enabling us to realize the transfer to local areas of the headquarters functions of companies located in urban areas, holding multiple consultations with business leaders and people on the frontline engaged in regional revitalization.
In regional areas, distinctive local universities serving as core institutions in their communities are beginning to thrive. While setting a ceiling for enrollment capacities at universities and other institutions within Tokyo’s 23 wards, we will promote the development of human resources with practical skills at universities in regional areas.
(Vision for Regional Innovation and Revitalization)
The third pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling is our Vision for Regional Innovation and Revitalization. In Regional Revitalization 1.0, successful examples ended with isolated efforts and failed to generate the kind of synergistic interactions that would lead to broader and systemic changes. With that reflection firmly in mind, this administration will aim to create new industrial fields through new collaborations and make innovation blossom in regional areas.
The third pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling is our Vision for Regional Innovation and Revitalization. In Regional Revitalization 1.0, successful examples ended with isolated efforts and failed to generate the kind of synergistic interactions that would lead to broader and systemic changes. With that reflection firmly in mind, this administration will aim to create new industrial fields through new collaborations and make innovation blossom in regional areas.
We will create an environment where universities, companies, local governments, and other entities collaborate to create key players for innovation in the region and foster their growth into start-ups that contribute to regional reinvigoration and the resolution of social challenges. We will strengthen the Five-year Plan for Promoting Startups and boldly support regionally distinctive initiatives such as the expansion of key cities in regional areas and the promotion of procurement by local governments.
Various social challenges, both global and local, have the potential to spark innovations, cutting-edge products and services, and new markets, all of which can lead to their ultimate resolution. We will fundamentally strengthen support for collaboration hubs between industry and academia, including universities and research institutions.
We will establish Japan’s agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and its food industry, all of which have some of the greatest potential anywhere in the world, as core industries by focusing on rigorously creating high added value. We will enhance our production infrastructure through the introduction and use of smart technology, the consolidation of small plots of land into large tracts, and other initiatives to make them profitable industries. We will also ensure food security by promoting projects to export rice to the world, securing stable imports and exports, and maintaining adequate reserves.
As part of comprehensive measures in the forestry and wood products industries, we will advance the cyclical use of forest resources, including the consolidation of smaller forest plots into larger ones at forest management sites and the intensification of management practices there, as well as the development and popularization of technologies such as cross-laminated timber (CLT). With a view to developing our fishing, aquaculture, and marine resources industries, we will advance the nationwide expansion of smart technologies and ocean-related industries while managing our fishery and other aquatic resources.
As a new priority, we will promote culture, the arts, and sports through collaboration between the public and private sectors. Through effective public relations activities, we will work to boost the tourism industry, which will contribute to regional revitalization. We will support the international expansion of our entertainment and content industry, which stands shoulder to shoulder with our semiconductor and steel industries in terms of overseas sales, with the aim of increasing overseas sales from 5 trillion to 20 trillion yen by 2033. We will also vigorously support the development of the industry, including by cultivating creators and establishing an environment where they can work with peace of mind.
This year, after much anticipation, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan will open its doors. I sincerely hope that it will provide children, who will shape the world of tomorrow, with an opportunity to think about the world to come while embracing hope for the future of society. The Government will do its utmost to make this an excellent opportunity for Japan, as the host country, and for its regions to deepen their exchanges with the rest of the world and showcase Japan’s attractions globally. We will bring about synergistic effects between the Expo and regional revitalization by encouraging many people to visit the Expo and explore various regions.
(Infrastructure development for a new era)
The fourth pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling is infrastructure development for a new era. We will promote the reallocation of industrial and living centers, taking as the axis this infrastructure development for a new era, which supports green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX),
The fourth pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling is infrastructure development for a new era. We will promote the reallocation of industrial and living centers, taking as the axis this infrastructure development for a new era, which supports green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX),
We will expand [our use of] decarbonized power sources, such as renewable energies and nuclear power, and redouble our deployment of supply hubs for hydrogen and other next-generation fuels, while efficiently developing their supply network. We will give concrete shape to our measures that help to develop decarbonized power sources while we simultaneously promote the development of new industrial sites and related infrastructure. We will submit draft legislation to institutionalize growth-oriented carbon pricing, which aims to attract over 150 trillion yen in GX investments, and to facilitate the transition to a circular economy.
AI is now a vitally important area of technology affecting Japan’s competitiveness as well as the prosperity of our society. We will submit legislation that balances the acceleration of innovation with our responsivity to risks. We will prepare an information and communications network that connects AI sites, data centers, and other services, as we simultaneously ensure cybersecurity. We will also submit legislation to create an environment that will attract over 50 trillion yen in investments in the areas of AI and semiconductors.
(Wide-area regional cooperation)
As the fifth pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling, we will strongly promote “wide-area regional cooperation,” a new framework for collaboration that transcends prefectural boundaries.
As the fifth pillar of Reiwa Era remodeling, we will strongly promote “wide-area regional cooperation,” a new framework for collaboration that transcends prefectural boundaries.
We will establish an optimal system that allows local governments to fully leverage their vertical and horizontal connections with other local governments. We will fundamentally strengthen wide-area regional cooperation among local governments, while moving forward with necessary system reforms.
3.The economy, public finances, and social security
(Wage increases that keep pace with price hikes and promotion of Japan as a leading asset management center)
In the economic policy pursued in a society that treasures human resources, we should redouble our emphasis on wage increases. Under the recognition that it is wage increases that form the cornerstone for our growth strategy, we will improve both people's incomes and the productivity of the economy overall, starting with wage increases that keep pace with rising prices.
In the economic policy pursued in a society that treasures human resources, we should redouble our emphasis on wage increases. Under the recognition that it is wage increases that form the cornerstone for our growth strategy, we will improve both people's incomes and the productivity of the economy overall, starting with wage increases that keep pace with rising prices.
Building on the momentum we enjoyed last year when wage increases attained a level not seen for 33 years, we will work to get wages increased considerably. Also, by steadily raising the minimum wage and continuing to work tirelessly towards our ambitious goal of raising the national weighted average minimum wage to 1,500 yen per hour by the end of the 2020s, we will put an end to mindsets oriented towards contraction, in which wages are stationary and stuck where they are.
In order for small- and medium-sized enterprises to boost their profits, thereby making wage increases possible, it is important to ensure across the entire transaction flow, from upstream to downstream, that price increases are reflected in higher product prices and that productivity improvements also materialize. We will submit a bill to amend the Subcontract Act and promote the passing of price increases through to customers in cases of public procurement by local governments and other public entities.
In order to strengthen support for boosting productivity, which serves as the source funding higher wages, we will formulate a plan to advance labor-saving investments in line with each industry’s realities and set in place on-site support systems.
We will encourage business succession and mergers and acquisitions that bolster the foundations of human resources and management. We will reduce non-regular employment in cases where it is not desired, bring about equal pay for equal work, and move vigorously forward with our three-pronged set of labor market reforms that include reskilling, job-based personnel management, and the facilitation of labor mobility. We will provide well-tailored support for job seekers in ways that are suited to their personal circumstances.
It is also important to support asset formation by leveraging wage increases both now and in the future. We will strengthen initiatives for promoting Japan as a leading asset management center, including by enhancing programs such as the Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA, a tax exemption program for small investments) and the Individual-type Defined Contribution Pension Plan (iDeCo).
We will take measures to counter price hikes until the effects of wage increases materialize. In accordance with the circumstances in local areas, we will promptly implement measures that have already been finalized within our package of comprehensive economic measures. These include providing grants to local regions for prioritized assistance, which will be used to support, for example, individuals suffering as a result of soaring energy and food prices, small- and medium-sized enterprises having difficulties passing price increases on to their customers, and school meal fees. These measures also include benefits targeting low-income households.
(Improving the vitality of Japan’s economy and establishing Japan as an investment-driven nation)
Japan's GDP accounted for 18 percent of the world total in 1994, whereas in 2023, the most recent data available, it stood at 4 percent. In order for our nation to become “an enjoyable Japan” where people feel tangibly that tomorrow will be brighter than today, it will be necessary to change this trend and achieve sustained growth. By transitioning from a cost-cutting economy to an economy based on the creation of high amounts of added value, we will bring about a growth-oriented economy driven by wage increases and investment. We will strengthen initiatives to establish Japan as an investment-driven nation by holding the Public-Private Investment Forum, setting targets for domestic investments, deepening our examination of regulatory reforms, and formulating concrete measures to promote bold domestic investments.
Japan's GDP accounted for 18 percent of the world total in 1994, whereas in 2023, the most recent data available, it stood at 4 percent. In order for our nation to become “an enjoyable Japan” where people feel tangibly that tomorrow will be brighter than today, it will be necessary to change this trend and achieve sustained growth. By transitioning from a cost-cutting economy to an economy based on the creation of high amounts of added value, we will bring about a growth-oriented economy driven by wage increases and investment. We will strengthen initiatives to establish Japan as an investment-driven nation by holding the Public-Private Investment Forum, setting targets for domestic investments, deepening our examination of regulatory reforms, and formulating concrete measures to promote bold domestic investments.
We will proceed with the revision of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Basic Plan and promote investments in strategic fields, including AI, quantum technology, biotechnology, space, and fusion.
We will begin concrete discussions on amending the Companies Act so that companies can undertake further growth investments for the future. We will make use of dialogues with investors aimed at long-term improvements in corporate value and other means to create an environment that promotes investments in human resources and technologies.
(Economic security)
From the perspective of economic security, in order to increase the level of Japan’s autonomy and indispensability, we will advance initiatives such as strengthening critical supply chains and implementing countermeasures against technology outflow, including reshoring [of production processes] and promoting the establishment [of new plants, research centers, or other business facilities]. We will enhance economic intelligence functions that analyze threats and risks through public-private cooperation.
From the perspective of economic security, in order to increase the level of Japan’s autonomy and indispensability, we will advance initiatives such as strengthening critical supply chains and implementing countermeasures against technology outflow, including reshoring [of production processes] and promoting the establishment [of new plants, research centers, or other business facilities]. We will enhance economic intelligence functions that analyze threats and risks through public-private cooperation.
We will submit legislation to enable proactive cyber defense in order to eliminate cyberattacks targeting Japan, our critical infrastructure, and other key areas.
(Achieving fiscal soundness)
Under the approach that a sound economy is the foundation of fiscal health, we will implement policies that place importance on increasing the growth rate while simultaneously continuing to reform both our expenditures and revenues as we aim to achieve fiscal soundness. As we enter a world with positive interest rates, taking into account the need to secure fiscal leeway in provision for major disasters and emergencies, we will, under the framework of the Economic and Fiscal Plan for a New Stage, outline efforts to put public finances on a sound footing within this year's Basic Policies, including achieving a surplus in the primary balance at an early time.
Under the approach that a sound economy is the foundation of fiscal health, we will implement policies that place importance on increasing the growth rate while simultaneously continuing to reform both our expenditures and revenues as we aim to achieve fiscal soundness. As we enter a world with positive interest rates, taking into account the need to secure fiscal leeway in provision for major disasters and emergencies, we will, under the framework of the Economic and Fiscal Plan for a New Stage, outline efforts to put public finances on a sound footing within this year's Basic Policies, including achieving a surplus in the primary balance at an early time.
(Social security)
Social insurance premiums are contributions made for the sake of security and are fully redistributed as necessary benefits. Their ratio to national income has declined to pre-pandemic levels. However, concerns about the social security system persist because of anxieties surrounding the future impacts of the declining birthrate and aging population. We will steadily advance reforms in accordance with the timeline already laid out, guided by the principle of a social security system that assists people in all generations and aims to provide mutual support among people regardless of their age. Measures such as revising the system that sets a ceiling for high-cost medical expenses will help to keep insurance premiums in check.
Social insurance premiums are contributions made for the sake of security and are fully redistributed as necessary benefits. Their ratio to national income has declined to pre-pandemic levels. However, concerns about the social security system persist because of anxieties surrounding the future impacts of the declining birthrate and aging population. We will steadily advance reforms in accordance with the timeline already laid out, guided by the principle of a social security system that assists people in all generations and aims to provide mutual support among people regardless of their age. Measures such as revising the system that sets a ceiling for high-cost medical expenses will help to keep insurance premiums in check.
In the 2025 fiscal year we will begin the full-scale implementation of measures to address the declining birthrate. We will raise the benefit rate to 100 percent of take-home pay when both parents take childcare leave and improve the staffing and treatment of childcare workers and related personnel.
In addition to implementing comprehensive infectious disease countermeasures based on a review of the COVID-19 situation, we will formulate a new regional medical vision that encompasses not only hospitalization but also coordination with outpatient and home-based medical care as well as nursing care. We will also encourage consultation within local communities. Furthermore, we will submit draft legislation to comprehensively promote measures addressing the uneven distribution of physicians.
The financial situation of the pension system has improved compared to the time of the previous review as a result of factors such as the increase in the number of contributors. We will continue to make efforts to realize a growth-oriented economy while taking steps such as ensuring that the system is neutral with regard to work styles, making the future security of the system more certain.
Amid the increase in elderly individuals living alone, alongside strengthening the nursing care system, we aim to build a community-cohesive society in which persons who have trouble living independent lives, persons with disabilities, and households raising children can connect with each other, support each other, and work together to create communities.
From the standpoint of the agent that executed the former Eugenic Protection Law, the Government will reflect sincerely on this history and we will do our very utmost to ensure the steady payment of compensation and to realize a society free of discrimination.
We will strongly support the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics, which will be held for the first time in Japan in the autumn of 2025.
4.Disaster management and public safety
(Disaster management and reconstruction)
It has been one year since the Noto Peninsula earthquake and four months since torrential rains struck the recovering Okunoto area. Thanks to steady efforts towards recovery and reconstruction, all temporary emergency housing for the earthquake has been completed, and progress continues with regard to the revival of the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and of Wajima lacquerware production. To restore Noto’s vibrancy and bring smiles back to its people at the earliest possible time, we will vigorously support the reconstruction of lives and livelihoods of those affected by the disasters by accelerating the disposal of disaster waste and constructing public housing, among other efforts.
It has been one year since the Noto Peninsula earthquake and four months since torrential rains struck the recovering Okunoto area. Thanks to steady efforts towards recovery and reconstruction, all temporary emergency housing for the earthquake has been completed, and progress continues with regard to the revival of the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and of Wajima lacquerware production. To restore Noto’s vibrancy and bring smiles back to its people at the earliest possible time, we will vigorously support the reconstruction of lives and livelihoods of those affected by the disasters by accelerating the disposal of disaster waste and constructing public housing, among other efforts.
"Without the reconstruction of Fukushima, there will be no reconstruction of Tohoku. And without the reconstruction of Tohoku, there will be no revival of Japan." Guided by this principle, the Reconstruction Agency will continue to spearhead efforts as the government control tower in rebuilding the lives, livelihoods, and industries of those affected, while also promoting initiatives such as the Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework.
Thirty years have passed since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. We will never forget the lessons learned from that experience and will continue to apply them to our disaster prevention and mitigation measures.
Japan is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. While minimizing damage through preparations under normal times, it is essential to promptly provide evacuation environments that adhere to the Sphere Standards when disasters strike. To carry out these responsibilities incumbent upon the nation, we will propose amendments to the Basic Act on Disaster Management and other related legislation to enhance welfare support and foster stronger cooperation with volunteers in disaster-affected areas. Additionally, we will advance our technologies for forecasting disasters such as torrential rains and strengthen our information dissemination capabilities.
To serve as the control tower for disaster responses, a Chief of Disaster Management will be appointed within the Cabinet Office. The functions of the Cabinet Office’s Office of Disaster Management will also be fundamentally enhanced in terms of both budget and personnel. In addition, preparations will be accelerated to ensure the establishment of the Disaster Management Agency within fiscal year 2026.
Within the next 30 years, there is a roughly 70 percent likelihood of a major earthquake striking directly below the capital and a roughly 80 percent likelihood of a Nankai Trough earthquake. For these large-scale disasters, where the affected areas and scales can be anticipated, we will further concretize pre-disaster measures, such as predetermining support frameworks between municipalities providing and receiving assistance and the planned stockpiling of relief supplies.
We will steadily promote disaster prevention and mitigation and national resilience. By June of this year, we aim to finalize a strategy for our medium-term plan scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2026. This strategy will be based on the idea that it will be necessary to appropriate a budget at a scale that surpasses the approximately 15 trillion yen of the five-year acceleration measures currently underway, in consideration of the results from evaluating existing measures and the rising costs of materials. Our goal is to establish a disaster-resilient nation that prioritizes human lives and human rights, transforming Japan into the world's foremost disaster prevention country. By sharing our disaster prevention expertise and technologies internationally, we will contribute to global disaster resilience while fostering it as a new pillar of Japanese industry.
(Public safety)
Although crime has been on a long-term decline, many citizens feel that public safety is deteriorating. There is no end to robberies and fraud linked to "shady part-time jobs" or sophisticated cybercrimes, and the exploitation of women by malicious host clubs is also now occurring. We will rigorously implement measures to combat these crimes and work towards realizing "Japan as the safest country in the world."
Although crime has been on a long-term decline, many citizens feel that public safety is deteriorating. There is no end to robberies and fraud linked to "shady part-time jobs" or sophisticated cybercrimes, and the exploitation of women by malicious host clubs is also now occurring. We will rigorously implement measures to combat these crimes and work towards realizing "Japan as the safest country in the world."
We will thoroughly crack down on anonymous and mobile crime groups through methods such as undercover operations utilizing virtual identities. Measures will also be taken to remove job postings for "shady part-time jobs," raise awareness among youth via social media platforms, and support the installation of security cameras.
We will promote cybercrime prevention education in collaboration with schools and advance public-private training to respond to cyberattacks. Additionally, we will submit bills aimed at strengthening regulations applicable to malicious host clubs and implement measures to prevent sexual violence, domestic violence (DV), and abuse while providing support for victims.
5.Foreign and security policy
As Russia's aggression against Ukraine is poised to enter its fourth year, Japan faces increasingly intense military activities by China and Russia in the areas surrounding Japan, as well as North Korea's nuclear and missile developments. In the most severe and complex security environment of the post-war period, it is essential to pay the utmost attention at all times to the balance of power, enhance Japan's own capabilities, elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to new heights, and further expand and deepen partnerships with like-minded countries in order to fully defend Japan's independence and peace as well as the daily lives of the Japanese people. At the same time, maintaining close communication with relevant countries is vitally important to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.
Our national defense capabilities serve as the ultimate guarantor of Japan's security. We will press steadily forward in fundamentally reinforcing our defense capabilities, grounded in our National Security Strategy and other relevant documents, with the primary aim of possessing the capability to prevent and repel any invasion of Japan, assuming primary responsibility ourselves, thereby deterring all invasions targeting Japan. We will reinforce our efforts to protect our citizens, including by pressing forward steadily and urgently in securing shelters.
We will reinforce the human resource base of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). The shortage of SDF officers is an extremely serious matter. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, we will carry out unprecedented efforts that include introducing or increasing the amount of over 30 types of allowances and benefits. Additionally, we will submit draft legislation to address such issues as making SDF officer benefits more attractive and creating environments in which young SDF officers facing mandatory retirement can play an active role even after retiring from the Forces.
We will continue efforts to mitigate the impact of military bases and to resolve various issues related to the stationing of [U.S.] forces. The commencement of ground improvement work on the Oura Bay side at the end of 2024 marked significant progress towards the total return of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma. We will press forward steadily with the construction process. Furthermore, to ensure that the economic effects of promoting and developing Okinawa sufficiently permeate the prefecture, and that the people of Okinawa feel those effects in a tangible way, we will continue to support economic structural reform in Okinawa with a focus on fostering the growth of local businesses and on using Okinawa-sourced products.
The Japan-U.S. Alliance is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy and security. Amid historic shifts in the regional balance of power, we must further deepen Japan-U.S. cooperation in concrete terms and continue to ensure the U.S.'s commitment to the region to ensure that a power vacuum does not lead to regional instability.
Furthermore, Japan-U.S. leadership is essential to establishing a multilayered regional security network, including partnerships such as Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad), Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan-U.S.-Philippines, while strengthening the initiative of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. When doing so, Japan must share responsibility as an ally and fulfill its role.
At the upcoming Japan-U.S. summit, I intend to share aligned views on these security and economic challenges with President Trump, reaffirm our commitment to further cooperation, and elevate the Japan-U.S. Alliance to even greater heights.
The ROK is an important neighbor with whom we must cooperate on international issues as partners. Regardless of any domestic developments within the ROK, the importance of Japan-ROK relations remains unchanged in the current strategic environment. We will maintain close communication with the ROK side, including regarding our commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of our bilateral relations.
At the start of the year, I visited Malaysia and Indonesia, and recently I welcomed the prime minister of Laos to Japan. In the increasingly confrontational and divided international community, strengthening ties with ASEAN countries remains a top priority for Japan, also from the perspective of our Global South diplomacy. We will continue to engage in practical cooperation in areas such as maritime security, disaster response, and decarbonization.
We will continue to strongly support Ukraine and enforce sanctions against Russia.
Regarding relations with China, while we continue to state what should be stated regarding various issues of concern and our different views, we will also pursue cooperation in areas where cooperation is possible. In this way, we are engaged in pragmatic foreign policy. Taking firm coordination with allied and like-minded countries with whom we share values as a major premise, we will maintain close communication with China at all levels, including at the leaders level, based on the broad direction of comprehensively promoting a Mutually Beneficial Relationship based on Common Strategic Interests and building a constructive and stable relationship, as confirmed with President Xi Jinping, so that China's stable development yields benefits for the entire region. Additionally, we will pursue progress within the Japan-China-ROK trilateral framework.
Although Japan-Russia relations remain in a difficult situation, Japan firmly maintains its policy of resolving the territorial issues and concluding a peace treaty.
The abduction issue involves more than kidnapping incidents; it is at its essence a violation of Japan's national sovereignty. It is also a humanitarian issue about which we cannot let our mindfulness dwindle for even a moment, and one whose resolution has time constraints, as both the abductees and the families of the victims continue to age. It is one of the highest-priority issues for my administration. Returning to the original principles outlined in the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, we are firmly committed to taking all necessary measures to bring all abductees home at the earliest possible time and resolving the various outstanding issues of concern with North Korea.
During the overseas trip I made at the beginning of this year, I reaffirmed cooperation to ensure the stable supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and confirmed partnerships in working towards decarbonization through the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC). Moving forward, I will continue to strongly pursue resource diplomacy.
6.Political reform
As we mark 80 years since the end of the war, this is also a year for thinking about democracy. Delivering conclusions regarding the various political reform issues is our mission as politicians, and it will be important to have discussions on how we will bolster democracy. What balance should we strike between subsidies from the national government, funds from corporations and organizations, funds from individuals, and spending by politicians themselves? What should we regard as the ideal rules for political parties and political organizations, consistent with the fact that they receive subsidies from the national government and as a general rule receive special tax-exempt treatment? And, how should we ensure those rules are followed? I intend for us to deepen our discussions, including regarding the legal system that will need to take shape consistent with our debate outcomes, and we will do so in a way that goes beyond the lines delineating the ruling and opposition parties.
There are also some issues regarding elections, which are the basis for democracy.
Some things have begun taking place in election campaign activities that were beyond what we have anticipated, and we are called on to have discussions in light of what has happened. Democracy truly takes shape when a multitude of opinions battle it out on the playing field of healthy discourse, so such discourse must be guaranteed.
Whether we consider political funding or election campaigns, the critical thing is for the voters to be properly provided with the information they need to make decisions. Then, grounded in those materials for correctly informing people's opinions, what is important is the will of more people from a broader swath of generations being reflected appropriately in politics. That is the essence of popular sovereignty. Taking into account the roughly three decades of history we have had under the current electoral system, I believe we must go beyond party and factional lines to examine once again whether or not the current electoral system is fully in line with that essence and discuss what the electoral system should be like.
7.Constitutional reform and related matters
This year marks the 80th year since the end of the war. It is incumbent upon us, the members of the National Diet, to lay out a proposal to the Japanese people, with whom sovereign power resides, regarding the form that the Constitution, which delineates the shape of the nation, should take, in light of changes in the public consciousness and in international affairs. From now, to facilitate the release of a Diet proposal on constitutional reform, we will hold constructive discussions within the Deliberative Councils on the Constitution that have been established in the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. I look forward to those discussions proactively deepening a national debate on the matter.
Stable succession to the Imperial throne is a matter of exceptional importance and ensuring the number of members of the Imperial family is in particular a matter of great urgency. I look forward to the Diet holding active debates on these topics so that the consensus of the legislature can be compiled at an early time.
8.Conclusion
Following upon the policy speech I made to the Diet last year, as I bring today's speech to a close, I will again draw upon the words of ISHIBASHI Tanzan during his term as prime minister. During his policy speech to the Diet in 1957, he made five pledges to the nation, namely, that he would normalize the operations of the Diet, address corruption and tighten discipline in the political and bureaucratic spheres, expand employment and increase production, build a welfare state, and establish world peace. Regarding the first of these, normalizing the operations of the Diet, he stated that he wished to "reflect adequately on those points demanding reflection, and, at the same time, asking for the cooperation of both the opposition parties and others concerned, work to have the National Diet move forward without deviating."
As the outcome of last year's general election, we are now a minority ruling party for the first time in roughly three decades. As the leading political party, we in the Liberal Democratic Party, together with Komeito, must be a ruling party of responsibility, bearing responsibility for the citizens of the present and the citizens of the next generation.
In order to build consensus that transcends political parties and factions, we will continue on from the extraordinary Diet session in taking part in careful deliberations, ruling parties and opposition parties alike, from a position of responsibility. We must work hard in order to earn the understanding and empathy of the public.
We will engage in national administration grounded in the form democracy originally took, namely, to enter into sincere policy consultations that reflect the wide spectrum of views among the citizens to emerge with a superior definite plan.
I will work to explain my administration's tax system reforms for fiscal year 2025 and also our multi-sectoral policies in areas such as social security and education so as to gain the approval of many. I will listen properly to the statements made by representatives of various political parties and engage in various discussions on issues. We will also engage in sincere discussions about mid- to long-term policy directions and the sustainability of our systems, including what the benefits and the burdens should look like in those systems.
I ask for the understanding and cooperation of my fellow citizens, as well as of the esteemed members of the Diet, who come together in this chamber as representatives of the people.