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Headquarters for Promoting Decentralization Reform
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At the meeting, the 1st Outline of the Promotion of Decentralization Reform, a Government policy compiled in response to the first recommendations of the Decentralization Reform Committee, was decided. Stipulated in the outline, among other matters, are a basic approach to the roles to be played by the central and local governments, the promotion of reforms of systems for decentralization and their operation, and the further advancement of decentralization reform. Mr. Uichiro Niwa, Chair of the Committee, who attended the meeting as the Committee representative, said, "It was under the Prime Minister's strong leadership that most items in this outline are in accord with our recommendations. I see that the Government made a forward-looking decision for the promotion of decentralization reform." In response, Prime Minister Fukuda said, "The Government took the recommendations seriously, and today we decided the Outline of the Promotion of Decentralization Reform, a Government policy compiled through the discussions among the relevant ministers. I will ensure its implementation. For items whose concrete mechanisms are stipulated in the outline to be considered, I am expecting each Minister's initiatives for vigorously promoting decentralization reform through the Cabinet, so that systems will be designed in a concrete manner in line with the intention of the Committee's recommendations. Local governments take responsibility for carrying out regional matters; and the central government focuses on matters that need to be focused. This, I believe, is the basic principle of decentralization reform. Together with the Ministers, I will actively support the deliberations of the Committee, and further promote decentralization reform, a high priority task for the Cabinet."
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