Press Conference by the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Excerpt)

Opening Statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: I would like to give an overview of the Cabinet meeting. The meeting approved 32 general and other measures, the promulgation of a treaty and legislation, cabinet orders, and personnel decisions. With regard to statements by ministers, Minister Yamamoto made a statement concerning revisions to the Declaration to be the World’s Most Advanced IT Nation. Minister Inada made statements concerning revisions to the Basic Policies on Employment, Promotion, and Other Relevant Matters and concerning a report based on the provisions of Article 106-25, Paragraph 1 of the National Public Service Act. Minister Yamamoto made a statement concerning the Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation 2014. I made a statement concerning the holding of a meeting of the Review Committee for Personnel Affairs. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry made a statement concerning the White Paper on International Economy and Trade 2014. The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications made a statement concerning the findings of the administrative evaluation and monitoring of corporations requiring authorization for establishment. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism made a statement concerning personnel affairs relating to the heads of independent administrative agencies. I made a statement concerning the status of the passage of bills and other proposals submitted by the Cabinet. Prime Minister Abe made a statement concerning acting Ministers while Ministers in charge are away on overseas visits.

Today, before the Cabinet meeting, the second meeting of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation was convened. Discussion took place on the Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation 2014, which was approved by a Cabinet decision during the Cabinet meeting that followed. The Government will work to ensure that the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation fully functions as a control tower. Furthermore, together with relevant ministries and agencies, we will push forward and implement the Comprehensive Strategy approved by a Cabinet decision. For more information regarding the Strategy, please direct your questions to Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Yamamoto.

The Headquarters on Creating Dynamism through Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Industries and Local Communities was held prior to the Cabinet meeting today, in the presence of the Prime Minister, who is the Chair of the Headquarters. During the meeting, revisions were made to the Plan for Creating Dynamism through Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Industries and Local Communities, which is the Abe Cabinet’s grand design for agricultural policy reform. As such, in line with the revised plan, we will resolutely conduct the reform of the agricultural commissions, agricultural production corporations, and agricultural cooperatives at the same time. In particular, agricultural cooperatives will be fundamentally reformed for the first time in 60 years. Accordingly, the central union will make a fresh start, and the existing central union system based on the Agricultural Co-operatives Act will no longer exist. The reforms will enable local agricultural cooperatives to play a central role, to each take advantage of their distinctive characteristics, and to channel all of their energy towards turning agriculture into a growth industry. Furthermore, under the leadership of the Government, we will proceed swiftly with concrete deliberations of such reforms and submit bills to the next ordinary session of the Diet. For more information regarding the Plan, please forward your questions to the Office of the Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary.   

Q&As

• The meeting of the Review Committee for Personal Affairs

REPORTER: Could you please share some more details about the holding of the meeting of the Review Committee for Personnel Affairs, which you mentioned in the Cabinet meeting?

CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY SUGA: During the Cabinet meeting, I explained that, in light of the fact that a system of unified management of senior Government officials has been introduced as a result of the revisions made to the National Public Service Act and other Acts, it was decided that a meeting of the Review Committee for Personnel Affairs would be launched. The members consist of the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries, and the Head, Cabinet Bureau of Personnel Affairs, and the meeting will be held in order for the Cabinet to take appropriate measures in regard to consultations with appointers such as the Prime Minister and the Chief Cabinet Secretary concerning the appointment and dismissal of officials, and other such matters. In addition, I explained that, whenever it is deemed necessary, the new Committee would also review those personnel who would have previously been subject to reviews by the Cabinet Review Committee for Personnel Affairs. I stated that the existing Cabinet Review Committee for Personnel Affairs would thus be abolished.   

(Abridged)