From the perspective of strengthening the functioning of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Office directly supports the full exercise of the Prime Minister's leadership and assists in the determination of policy through "the drafting of plans and comprehensive coordination" of the inter-agency measures. Specially, the important issues it handles include those fundamental to national governance, such as economic and fiscal policy and science and technology policy, as well as those related to building a cohesive society, such as the realization of a gender-equal society and an enriched and fulfilling lifestyle for the people, and those related to securing the safety of the people, such as disaster management. In addition, the Cabinet Office is in charge of the Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs, honors and government public relations. The Cabinet Office places the Prime Minister as its head and has the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Ministers for Special Missions (six ministers including multiple office-holders) and others. Ministers for Special Missions are placed only within the Cabinet Office in order to draft plans and provide comprehensive coordination for important Cabinet policies in a powerful and timely manner.

Four councils of important policies are established within the Cabinet Office as a "forum for knowledge", supporting the leadership of the Prime Minister: The Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy; the Council for Science and Technology Policy; the Central Disaster Management Council; and the Council for Gender Equality.

The Prime Minister or the Chief Cabinet Secretary chairs the councils, which are comprised of relevant ministers and persons of expertise and experience. These councils formulate directions of important policies.