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On September 30, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 41st meeting of the Council on National Strategic Special Zones at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, discussions were held on the certification of special zone plans and the newly realized items related to regulatory reforms, as well as the Bill for the Partial Amendment of the National Strategic Special Zones Law and other items.
 
Based on the discussions, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Today, we have a report that bans on online medication guidance have been lifted in urban areas, which had been an outstanding issue since last year. It is reported that those urban residents who have long commutes and are occupied with their work and parenting have now become able to consult about their medication online, too.
 
The Mayor of Osaka mentioned that the regulations on the pumping up of groundwater have been eased towards the materialization of large-scale heating and cooling systems utilizing groundwater. He also spoke of his great expectations of the Super City Initiative. With regard to the Super City Initiative, a bill on which was approved by a Cabinet decision in June this year, we also intend to work on its early materialization by introducing a series of support measures, which are necessary for local authorities to build technological foundations and enabling them to advance preparations in a concrete manner.
 
Regulatory reform is the engine that drives Abenomics, and the national strategic zone system is the way to reform bedrock regulations. I would like the relevant ministers to collaborate closely with one another and work on this issue with the Cabinet working as one.”