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On May 30, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the 94th Regular General Meeting of the National Association of Chairpersons of City Councils held in Tokyo.
 
The Prime Minister said in his congratulatory address,
 
“I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations on the successful opening of the 94th Regular General Meeting of the National Association of Chairpersons of City Councils today.
 
It must not be by coincidence that all the chairpersons elected in Yamaguchi Prefecture are seated before me right now. While I am feeling a bit of pressure, I vow to you that I am committed to surely respond to your requests.
 
Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my deepest respect for all the hard work constantly being put in by the chairpersons of city councils, who are the representatives closest to the people, at the frontlines of local governments for the development of local communities and improvement of community welfare.
 
In the past five years, the Abe Cabinet has continued to embark on challenges with the policies under the three arrows of Abenomics. As a result, the economy has achieved record high growth of more than 11%, while the tax revenues of national and local governments have increased by more than 24 trillion yen. The ratio of active job openings to applicants has exceeded 1.0 in all 47 prefectures for the first time in history, and the employment rate of high school graduates this spring reached 98.1%, the highest level in 27 years. For full-time employees, the ratio of active job openings to applicants has also exceeded 1.0 as the transition to permanent employment picks up speed.
 
This year marks 150 years since the Meiji Restoration, and Japan is now once again confronted by a national crisis, namely the rapidly declining birthrate and ageing society. In order to overcome this national crisis and further enrich the lives of the people, I am determined to confront the issue with the revolutions in productivity and human resources development, much like the wheels of a vehicle. Japan will not have vitality unless its regions do as well. Japan will have no future unless its regions do as well. This is the fundamental attitude of the Abe Cabinet.
 
Japan has many charms, including its rich natural environment, unique history and culture as well as agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and food products with a distinct regional character, all of which have been carefully preserved and fostered by the people of the respective regions. The attractive products of our hometowns, produced with much time and effort, have begun to make their debut in the global market. These include beef, strawberries, Japanese sake, Japanese tea, and rice. The specialties of each region are seeing a growth in exports around the world, supported by a boom in the popularity of Japanese food.
 
Regional vitalization and the development of local economies is about fully unleashing their potential, by making the most of the unique strengths and charms of the respective areas. The people living in these regions are the ones who know their strengths and appeal the best, and the chairpersons of city councils who are gathered here today are precisely the representatives of the cities. The motivation and passion of the regions, together with your leadership, lead to the creation of highly appealing regions. The Abe Cabinet will continue to listen carefully to their voices. On that basis, by harnessing the unique elements and characteristics that can only be found in the respective regions, we will support the efforts of regional vitalization all across Japan. I would like to ask all the chairpersons of city councils to maintain close relationships with the local residents on a regular basis to listen to a diverse range of opinions, and to continue making significant contributions going forward. At the same time, I would also like to ask once again for your understanding and cooperation on the policies put forth by our government.
 
I would like to conclude my address for the 94th Regular General Meeting of the National Association of Chairpersons of City Councils by extending my best wishes for the further development of the Association, and for the continued success of everyone in attendance today. Once again, congratulations on this successful gathering today.”