[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted the fourth “Meeting with the Prime Minister and Workers to Exchange Views on Work Style Reform,” at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address,

“I want to express my gratitude to all of you for coming here today despite your busy schedules.

Currently, deliberations are taking place at the Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform in order to create a society in which everyone can choose a work style that fits well with his or her stage of life.

In Japan, once women get married and then leave their jobs temporarily after having children, it is difficult for them to return to work, or they have a hard time returning as a regular employee. This is today’s reality. As a means to enhance the environment whereby women can easily be reemployed, according to their various stages of life, I am focusing on ‘recurrent education.’ Today, we have gathered people who have undergone recurrent education, and people involved in hiring and employment.

A bill on recurrent education that enables more people to study again will be submitted to the next ordinary session of the Diet. This bill will expand support measures for people taking part in recurrent education, including greatly extending the period for which subsidies can be received and increasing the payout ratio and maximum amount of subsidies. At the same time, it will expand classes available on nights and weekends and work on childcare facilities.

Today, we will look to further incorporate the stories of people who have actually experienced recurrent education into the policies we are promoting. Therefore, I hope to hear your frank opinions. Thank you very much.”