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On October 23, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a meeting of the Ministerial Council on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities in the Public Service at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, discussion took place on: findings of the reexamination of the situation of appointments and dismissals of persons with disabilities as of June 1, 2017 at prefectural and municipal agencies, boards of education of prefectures and others, and independent administrative agencies and other entities; report by the investigation committee on the matter pertaining to the employment of persons with disabilities at national administrative organs; Basic Policy on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities in the Public Service (draft); among other items.         
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“As was just reported by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, it has been found that many national administrative organs had been, to a large extent, inappropriately reporting the number of persons with disabilities due to lack of awareness on promoting the employment of persons with disabilities, among other factors. It has also come to light that this failure to meet the statutory employment quota had been neglected for many years. It is deplorable and deeply regrettable that this had been the case at many national administrative organs, which should take the lead in expanding opportunities for those with disabilities to be employed and play an active role.
 
I would like to ask each minister to take this situation seriously and sincerely, ensure that everyone in your respective ministries and agencies are fully mindful about promoting the employment of persons with disabilities, and take thorough steps to prevent recurrences in accordance with the Basic Policy that was finalized today.  
 
It is also important, going beyond achieving the statutory employment quota, that we expand opportunities for those with disabilities to demonstrate their motivation and abilities and play an active role, such as developing a new recruitment scheme for persons with disabilities, a system for moving up to full-time employee, and a system of supports for persons with disabilities at the workplace. I would like to ask each minister to exert every effort for the sustained promotion of employment of persons with disabilities, with the Government working in unity.”