Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY FUJIMURA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved five general and other measures and draft bills, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the FY2012 Outlook for the Gross Revenue and Expenditure of Local Public Bodies, the bill for partial revision of the Local Allocation Tax Act, etc., the findings of the Administrative Evaluation and Monitoring of Job Referrals and other aspects of Public Employment Security Offices, and the results of the labor force survey and the household budget survey. The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare made a statement concerning the national ratio of jobs to applicants for December 2011, and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology made a statement concerning a personnel decision with regard to a head of a national university corporation.

In ministerial discussions following the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada made a statement concerning the dissemination of information pertaining to the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems. Minister Motohisa Furukawa made a statement concerning his visit to Switzerland, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry also made a statement concerning his trip to Switzerland.

At today's Cabinet meeting, a decision was made to establish the Headquarters for Administrative Reform Implementation comprised of all Cabinet members, and the first meeting was held following the Cabinet meeting. Administrative reform is a Government priority which must be advanced comprehensively in tandem with the comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems. There was agreement that with this headquarters playing a central role, the Government must work together to implement reforms holistically and aggressively. The details are expected to be explained in the press conference of Deputy Prime Minister Okada.

Also, today is January 31. As a reminder, I would like to inform that the Information Security Month starts from tomorrow, February 1. As you are aware, information security concerns have risen since last year, including the emergence of cyber attacks against Japan's various organizations. I need not say that the Government must take thorough steps in response to these threats. However, it is also essential that each and every person deepen their awareness about information security and take appropriate responses. Therefore, as has already been stated in a press release, the month of February will be established as the Information Security Month and a variety of measures will be implemented with close coordination between the public and private sectors. The material which has been distributed to you today is a message which briefly outlines the contents of what I would like to ask from the public as part of this. I hope this will serve as an opportunity for many people to increase their consciousness about information security.

(Abridged)