Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a meeting with mayors of municipalities at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Prime Minister said in his opening address,
“Today we are joined by mayors from across Japan. Each of you is working diligently on the very front lines of local government.
I wish we had organized such an opportunity much earlier than we did. Now that you are gathered here today, I hope to hear your candid views.
There will be no vitalization of Japan without the vitalization of regional communities. Just as I have repeatedly stated, the revitalization of the regions is one of the most important themes of the Abe administration.
In particular, it is incumbent on us to continue to create regional vitality so that people across the country can live pleasant lives with peace of mind, given the diminishing population in our society, which has resulted in continued declines in the number of workers in the regions, the number of people able to support our social security system, and our workforce, for example.
The Abe Cabinet is steadily advancing a variety of initiatives. These include submitting the proposal of a bill on the transition of the work and authority from the national government to local governments, among other matters, and a bill for the revision of the system of large metropolitan areas and creation of new wide-area collaborative systems during the current session of the Diet.
In addition, we recently established the 31st Local Government System Research Council for carrying out further investigations and deliberations on the future of the regional administrative system, among other matters, to respond appropriately to the issue of the declining population.
With my Cabinet, I want to further advance necessary reforms, including, of course, the series of decentralization reforms that were started during the first Abe Cabinet, as well as reforms that are needed in order to create regions that are independent and that can leverage their unique characteristics.
I understand that as mayors you are taking the lead in your communities and exerting your leadership to the fullest, while engaging with local residents and incorporating their diverse opinions. I hope that you will continue to exert your best efforts in this regard.
Today, I would like to once again ask for your assistance in carrying out the various measures being promoted by the Government. Furthermore, although we only have a short time together, I would like to ask for your frank opinions. With that I would like to conclude my opening remarks. Thank you.