[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the eighth meeting of the Council on Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan at the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, opinions were exchanged about the revision of the comprehensive strategy for overcoming population decline and vitalizing local economy.

Based on the day’s exchange of opinions, the Prime Minister said,

“Regional vitalization is entering its second stage. The Government will fully mobilize policies and support region-led initiatives in terms of information, personnel resources, and finances, and thereby accelerate movement for regional vitalization.

Specifically, I would like there to be focused advancement of the following three points.

First, within this fiscal year, create concrete policies for the involvement of regional small- and medium-sized enterprises in innovation, including the Internet of Things (IoT).

From the next fiscal year, aim to be implementing around 200 pioneering projects for regionally based innovation per year.

Second, compile 100 promising cases of profitable community building that can be expanded across the country from the next fiscal year, and offer these as references for municipalities. Additionally, by 2020, in the mountainous and foothill regions across Japan, support the creation of 1,000 ‘small centers’ which consolidate the services needed for life and where residents can gather, as well as 3,000 ‘regional management organizations’ where residents can take the lead in supporting the areas they live in.

Third, next fiscal year, create a ‘regional vitalization college’ that will allow people to take e-learning courses on practical knowledge related to regional vitalization. Aim to have 10,000 people enrolled in this college after two or three years. I want to make it possible for anyone with motivation to be able to gain the necessary skills and become active on the front lines of regional vitalization.

We will revise the comprehensive strategy by the end of this month based on the valuable opinions heard today. We will exert every effort toward the achievement of regional vitalization.”