Prime Minister Naoto Kan attended the third meeting of the Task Force Team for the Employment of New Graduates at the Prime Minister's Office.

Discussion took place on the current employment situation for new graduates and on efforts to facilitate their employment.

Based on the discussions, the Prime Minister said, "This Task Force Team for the Employment of New Graduates is in a critical period right now. As you are aware, only 68.8% of graduating college students have currently secured employment offers as of December 1. New graduates face a situation more severe than ever before. The situation for high school students is severe as well, if not the worst ever.
My Cabinet places emphasis on employment, employment and employment. Focusing on new graduates in particular, suppose that they graduate from school but have no place to work – while in school students have a place to belong in society, but if they are unemployed after graduation, they no longer have a place to belong or a role to play. This is a very severe situation to be put in to for the first time. I want everyone to have the attitude that you must do everything you can in the following two to three months to secure employment for new graduates no matter what, even if it requires extra effort and personnel."