Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

• An overview of the Cabinet meeting

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, I would like to speak on the Cabinet Meeting items. The meeting approved 9 general measures as well as draft bills and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, the Minister of Justice made a statement concerning the current state of legislation on controlling groups that have committed indiscriminate acts of mass murder and the state of efforts for controlling criminal groups via the Anti-Subversive Activities Act, the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission made a statement concerning the report on the state of the implementation of laws concerning the regulation of groups that have committed indiscriminate acts of mass murder, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and the Minister of Justice made statements concerning the administrative evaluation and monitoring of measures for acceptance of foreigners-with focus on on-the-job training, and Prime Minister Abe made a statement concerning acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on overseas visits.

Q&As

• The elimination of childcare waiting lists
• Air pollution in China

(Abridged)

REPORTER: Yesterday, on a TV program on my network, Prime Minister Abe expressed his intention to target the elimination of childcare waiting lists within the next five years. He also made a reference to the initiatives of the City of Yokohama calling it the Yokohama method. I understand that you are from Yokohama, so how do you think the methods of Yokohama could be useful in helping develop the government's measures to eliminate childcare waiting lists?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: Firstly, measures for the elimination of childcare waiting lists are a pressing and extremely important issue for the Government. I understand that the City of Yokohama is close to reaching its target of zero childcare waiting lists, which it will achieve by the end of the year. I believe that the national Government can learn from these initiatives and we will work on this issue to bring childcare waiting lists down to zero throughout the entire country. I formerly served as a councilor of the City of Yokohama and I can say that in the City of Yokohama, the central City Government and each ward are working together to advance the zero childcare waiting list project. For instance, in the course of building childcare centers the City works with developers to locate the most appropriate real estate, and completes thorough follow-ups with parents - whose needs are ever-diversifying - who were unable to find a childcare placement for their child. Additionally, I believe that the fact that the City of Yokohama has a good consultancy service with skilled consultants, who are able to assist with matters of childcare, has been particularly significant. I believe that throughout Japan it is common for childcare centers to be built in city outskirts because it is easy for developers, but it is often the case that they are not fully utilized because many parents live in inner-city areas. I think that the City of Yokohama's success can also be attributed to the emphasis it places on the desires of those working parents.

REPORTER: Yesterday, a joint seminar was held in Beijing involving Japanese and Chinese researchers who are investigating PM2.5. I would like to once again ask if Japan has any plan to use this seminar as a platform to begin providing China with technical support.

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: PM2.5 has begun to have a significant effect on Japan and therefore we have a strong desire to cooperate in addressing this issue by providing technical cooperation and sharing Japan's experience. Now that this seminar has been held, we would like to cooperate in addressing various issues, including through the provision of technical assistance.