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Koizumi Cabinet E-mail Magazine No. 190 (June 2, 2005)
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[Lion Heart -- Message from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi]
(Provisional Translation)
Free of ties, free of jackets
Junichiro Koizumi here.
Since June 1, ministers and officials can go to work in casual
dress-that is, without tie or jacket.
There is no need to be straitlaced when thinking about what to wear
to work, or whether or not to wear a tie. This is not a fashion
contest; the new policy simply encourages people to dress casually
at work to beat the heat of the sweltering Japanese summer.
I want each person to decide individually what kind of outfit is
appropriate. I would also like to remind people not to set the room
temperature control on their air conditioners too low. As has been
the case until now, when necessary they should ideally be set at
around 28 degrees Celsius so that we can conserve energy to be more
environmentally friendly.
Luckily, Diet members were sympathetic to this new dress code and
did not object to appearing at the Diet committee deliberations
without ties or jackets.
Continuing the trend, I plan to attend today's Budget Committee
deliberations in casual dress.
Above all, the current "no tie, no jacket" policy does not mean
that people must always be without a tie or jacket. Depending on
the circumstances, whether in meetings with foreign leaders or when
attending ceremonies, I plan on being flexible, and to take into
account what is befitting of each situation.
It would be wonderful if people could take a relaxed approach
toward this dress policy, think independently about it and choose
to wear comfortable clothing, and in so doing have a positive
impact on measures to combat global warming.
I attended the National Meeting to Beautify Japan's Landscape on
June 1. In my address, I quoted Professor Shosaburo Kimura, who
said that it is vital in future urban development that cities are
"women-friendly, safe for the elderly and easy to navigate for
foreigners." I will advance efforts to build Japan as a beautiful,
people-friendly, safe and easily comprehensible country.
* Prime Minister Without Tie or Jacket
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/m-magazine/backnumber/2005/0602_1.html
* The title of this column "Lion Heart" is a reference to the Prime Minister's lion-like hairstyle and his unbending determination to advance structural reform.
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[Special Contribution]
Gathering of ambassadors from around the world
by Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobutaka Machimura
Eight months have passed since my appointment as Minister for
Foreign Affairs. At this juncture, I arranged for all the Japanese
ambassadors dispatched to various corners of the world to gather
for an Ambassadors' Meeting in Tokyo, the first time ever for such
a meeting to be successfully held since the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs was established. Japanese diplomacy is facing numerous
challenges and is indeed at a crucial stage at the moment. However,
I recall Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's words: "With setback
comes opportunity."
My intention in convening the Ambassadors' Meeting, which was held
over the three-day period from May 16-18, was to have an
opportunity to map out a strategy for Japan as a whole that pursues
our national interest drawing on synergy with other government
agencies, private-sector companies, and the people of Japan.
Reforming the United Nations (UN) and the UN Security Council is a
top-priority diplomatic issue for the Koizumi Cabinet. Although it
is an exceedingly difficult challenge, Japan, with feeling of
remorse for the past, has contributed to the international
community as a peaceful nation throughout the post-war period. With
these contributions in mind, I gave instructions with encouragement
to the ambassadors to channel all their energy towards the goal of
Japan to become a permanent member of the Security Council with
much confidence. I have heard it said that "the first three minutes
in a fire and the last five minutes of an election" are critical.
I also saw some newspapers' reports saying that "Foreign Minister
Machimura inspires all ambassadors." For my part too, I certainly
felt a pulse of dynamic "energy" among the ambassadors.
As for support for Japanese companies overseas, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has traditionally assumed the task of creating
general frameworks for economic exchanges and steered clear of
becoming involved in individual business negotiations. However,
as I told the ambassadors, this is an outdated attitude and we
should become actively involved to respond to each company's needs.
Major economic organizations also took part in this meeting, and we
discussed problems that they encountered and ways to improve the
business environment overseas. We will steadily implement the
results of the discussions, one by one, in the days to come.
All the ambassadors have now returned to their posted countries.
They immediately resumed their activities, taking the lead at their
respective embassies. It was an exceptionally meaningful meeting in
that all the ambassadors, who are posted in distant quarters and
yet are at the forefront as the pillar of Japan's diplomacy, had
the opportunity to meet one another face-to-face and engage in
consultations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its overseas
establishments will make a concerted effort to tackle various
diplomatic challenges with even more vigor.
* Profile of the Minister for Foreign Affairs
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/koizumidaijin/040927/04machimura_e.html
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[What's up around the Prime Minister]
- Japan-Madagascar Summit Meeting (May 31, 2005)
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/koizumiphoto/2005/05/31madagascar_e.html
Prime Minister Koizumi held a meeting with Mr. Marc Ravalomanana, the President of the Republic of Madagascar.
- The 30th Meeting of the IT Strategic Headquarters (May 30, 2005)
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/koizumiphoto/2005/05/30it_e.html
Prime Minister Koizumi said, "Achieving our goal . . . is becoming increasingly feasible. At the same time, we will face some challenges . . . . I ask for your effort and support in this regard."
- Prime Minister Visits Yokosuka City (May 28, 2005)
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/koizumiphoto/2005/05/28yokosuka_e.html
Prime Minister Koizumi made a tour around Yokosuka Research Park and Nagai Uminote Park-Hill of Soleil.
- Japan-Brazil Summit Meeting (May 26, 2005)
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/koizumiphoto/2005/05/26brazil_e.html
Prime Minister Koizumi held a meeting with Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
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| General Editor | : | Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi |
| Chief Editor | : | Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiken Sugiura |
| Publication | : | Cabinet Public Relations Office
1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968, Japan |
