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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Liaison Meeting of the Government and Ruling Parties at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address,

“The severe torrential rains this summer, including Typhoon No. 10, caused massive damage in every region, including the deaths of more than 20 people in Iwate and Hokkaido. I offer my prayers for the repose of those whose lives were lost, and my condolences to all those affected by these disasters.

The Government will unite with affected municipalities to implement swift and detailed support measures that will ensure that everything that can be done is done for the quickest possible rebuilding, restoration, and reconstruction of the lives of the affected. I ask for the continued cooperation of everyone in the ruling parties on this matter.

At the G20 Hangzhou Summit recently, just as at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit earlier this year, the leaders agreed on the necessity of all-government responses to address the risks faced by the global economy.

The economy is the issue of greatest priority for the Abe Cabinet.

During the extraordinary Diet session this autumn, we will submit a supplementary budget for strong economic measures exceeding 28 trillion yen in project scope. We will work for the early enactment of that budget in order to advance boldly with investments for the future. At the same time, we will also work for the ratification of the TPP and enactment of related legislation.

The extraordinary session of the Diet to be held this autumn will be the ‘Abenomics Acceleration Diet.’ I request that everyone cooperate so that we can achieve maximum escape velocity in order to exit deflation.

The realization of a society in which all citizens are dynamically engaged is a challenge for the future. The greatest challenge we face if we are to achieve that is the reform of the labor markets from the perspective of the people who work in them, or in other words, the bold reform of work styles. We will enact measures to change systems in order to correct long working hours, and we will create environments in which it is easy for women and the elderly to work.

We will realize equal pay for equal work. We will advance preparations without hesitation toward the amendment of laws, revise measures to deal with irregular employment, and grow the middle class.

We will set up a Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform within the month, and aim to compile a concrete action plan on this issue within the fiscal year. I ask for the support of the ruling parties in doing this.

North Korea has pushed forward with nuclear tests. This is totally unacceptable. Nuclear development constitutes a grave threat to Japan’s security and seriously undermines the peace and security of the region as well as the international community. Japan immediately issued a serious protest against North Korea.

Since the start of this year, North Korea has launched 21 ballistic missiles, including the launch of an SLBM, and the simultaneous launch of three ballistic missiles which fell into Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In terms of nuclear tests, they pushed forward with the most recent test after a test in January, and have announced that they have succeeded in testing the detonation of a nuclear warhead.

After the nuclear test, I immediately held a telephone summit meeting with President Obama and President Park Geun-hye. The nuclear test this time was on a different level from the threats we have faced up until now. We shared the view that we must take a different response than we have taken up until now for this kind of next-level threat.

We will collaborate closely on this issue with all relevant countries, including the United States, the Republic of Korea, China, and Russia. We will pursue new sanctions against North Korea in the UN Security Council, and advance discussions on independent sanctions to be implemented by Japan.

I want to continue to work closely with everyone in the ruling parties and carefully advance our efforts in order to thoroughly produce results from these policies. Thank you very much.”