[Provisional translation]
On April 22, 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi held the fourth meeting of the Council for Japan’s Growth Strategy at the Prime Minister’s Office.
At the meeting, the participants engaged in discussions on the course of action for cross-cutting issues. Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister stated:
“Thank you all very much for your hard work and dedication. We received many valuable and insightful opinions from the committee members, especially regarding cross-cutting issues, again today.
Human capital is crucial to enhancing the comprehensive national strength of Japan. In order to ensure that each and every worker can thrive and play an active role, we must establish flexible and diverse working styles that are based on the maintenance of physical and mental health and respect for workers’ choices.
I ask Minister Ueno to accelerate discussions on revising working hour systems, such as the ‘discretionary labor system’ and the ‘variable working hours system,’ while fully taking into account actual conditions on the ground and the viewpoints of both labor and management. Regarding the discretionary labor system, considering the business community’s firm commitment to ensuring health, preventing long working hours, and improving working conditions, please advance discussions on revising the scope of the system on the premise of such measures to prevent abuse of the system. Moreover, please review implementation of the current working hour regulations to ensure providing guidance on working hours and measures to ensure workers’ health in accordance with labor-management agreements.
Furthermore, on developing human resources in the 17 strategic fields and the essential services that support them, I ask the ministers in charge of each field to collaborate with Minister Ueno, Minister Akazawa, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Matsumoto, among others, to push ahead with initiatives that offer integrated support from developing to providing reskilling courses, including in industries where skill standardization has not progressed thus far. At the same time, we are determined by all means to prevent resignations due to the burden of household matters, such as childcare and nursing care. I ask Minister Kiuchi and the relevant ministers to work together to accelerate discussions on the establishment of a national certification system for housekeeping support services, with a view to conducting examinations next fall and implementing tax incentives and other support measures.
I ask MEXT Minister Matsumoto and Minister Akazawa to examine the establishment of a system to provide medium- to long-term support to universities with outstanding research capabilities in specific fields, focusing on the 17 strategic fields, towards forming a new cluster of universities that contribute to strengthening industrial competitiveness.
Additionally, deep-tech startups serve as a key driver in accelerating the social implementation of advanced technologies. I ask Minister KIUCHI and Minister AKAZAWA to examine the establishment of a new pilot framework that will, through a fundamental strengthening of the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program, go beyond conventional R&D support and lead to full-scale procurement. With regard to initiatives addressing the eight cross-sectoral challenges, I ask that bold and concrete measures be considered, including designating as growth investments those initiatives that attract private-sector investment, such as efforts to strengthen the earning power of startups, mid-sized enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Takaichi Cabinet will vigorously pursue economic growth to the maximum extent in order to thoroughly strengthen the national strength of Japan. To this end, the Government as a whole must adopt a stance of removing all constraints, proposing truly necessary measures without hesitation, and following them through. From the viewpoint of continuously evolving our policies as we move forward, the 5 Ws and 1 H, namely, who will do what, by when, and how, is also crucial. I ask each minister in charge to further accelerate efforts to give shape to measures toward the formulation of the ‘Japan’s Growth Strategy’ this summer, so that we can realize a strong economy. That is all from me.”