Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 11th meeting of the Administrative Reform Promotion Council at the Prime Minister's Office.
During the meeting, discussion took place on "the review of administrative programs."
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said in his address,
"With regard to the Abe Cabinet’s second round of the review of administrative programs, starting next week, we will make the processes undertaken at each ministry open to the public, while also taking into account the discussions held today.
In terms of points for improvement from last year, we will implement a system where even the halting of programs is a possible evaluation outcome. At each public forum, I would like the external experts to carry out rigorous reviews, and I would like the findings to be reflected in efforts to improve programs.
In addition, we will continue to thoroughly follow-up on the 'Autumn Review' implemented last year, and exert every effort to make improvements based on the issues that have been raised.
Furthermore, today we tried out a new practice, and had each ministry introduce examples of improvement programs they are undertaking. Voluntary improvement initiatives by personnel are the foundation of the review of administrative programs. We will encourage further initiatives, such as by including such efforts in personnel evaluations.
Within the FY2015 budget, we must fully eliminate wasteful expenditures and carefully prioritize areas that have a high policy impact towards the achievement of both economic revitalization and fiscal soundness.
Through the review of administrative programs, the Government will strengthen autonomous initiatives by each ministry, and for this we would like to ask for your continued cooperation."