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Prime Minister Visits Kagawa and Okayama Prefectures


Saturday, March 24, 2007
Photograph of the Prime Minister enjoying talking with people at a shopping arcade Photograph of the prime Minister observing a shopping arcade Photograph of the Prime Minister enjoying a talk with people engaged in volunteer activities
Photograph of the Prime Minister taking part in activities to erase graffiti Photograph of the Prime Minister taking part in patrol activities in urban districts


Click photographs to enlarge


Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Kagawa and Okayama Prefectures.

First visiting Takamatsu City in Kagawa Prefecture, Prime Minister Abe talked with people at the Takamatsu Marugamemachi Shopping Street, where efforts are underway to create an attractive community through independent initiatives. Afterwards, Prime Minister Abe observed the shopping arcade.

Next, Prime Minister Abe moved to Okayama City in Okayama Prefecture, where he talked with people at the Okayamaken Seinenkan youth center, which is dedicated to the work of cleaning up graffiti in urban districts so that young people can grow up soundly. Prime Minister Abe also talked with the Okayama Guardians, who engage in volunteer patrol activities aimed at crime prevention in the city. After the talks, Prime Minister Abe joined them in doing their jobs on the streets.

In an interview that followed, Prime Minister Abe said, "As for the purpose of this visit, I had a strong wish to see the actual efforts of local people in their new endeavors to vitalize their shopping arcade in Takamatsu Marugamemachi, despite the difficult business conditions that still persist in the Shikoku region, where their community lies. In Okayama City, I wanted to witness the progress achieved by local efforts to create a secure and safe community with the help of citizen volunteers. After making these visits, I am convinced that these kinds of efforts should be developed nationwide."