Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a policy speech at the Lower House on Jan. 24. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to prioritize regional development efforts in his first policy speech as the first regular session of the Diet under his administration opened on Jan. 24.

“In creating a new Japan, we must emphasize the importance of sustainability and self-reliance,” he said in his speech to both Lower and Upper houses.

Recognizing the need to transform Japan into a sustainable socioeconomic system even with a declining population, Ishiba emphasized his intention to promote regional development efforts under the title of “Reiwa’s reform of the Japanese archipelago.”

Ishiba noted that the nation's working-age population is expected to decline by approximately 15 million over the next 20 years.

In his book, the late economist Taichi Sakaiya once advocated the realization of a “third Japan.”

The first Japan was the “strong Japan” that the Meiji government aimed for after the Meiji Restoration. The second Japan was the “prosperous Japan” of high economic growth after World War II. And a “pleasant Japan” was proposed as the “third Japan."

Ishiba cited this concept in his speech. He said that Japan needs to change its values and should aim for a “pleasant Japan” from now on.

According to a post on the website of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the “third Japan” that Ishiba advocates is the nation that Japan should aspire to be as its population decline is in full swing.

The vision of a "pleasant Japan” is a society in which individuals pursue their own dreams, the public and private sectors work together to create enjoyable rural areas, residents living in cities and in rural areas are interconnected, security and safety are guaranteed to all, and people experience hope and happiness.

To achieve this, Ishiba said he will position regional development at the core of his policies.

In the past, under the slogan of “Reform of the Japanese archipelago,” former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka emphasized the development of hard infrastructure such as roads and railroads.

In contrast, Ishiba’s policy is to create a new flow of people through the “attraction of soft (infrastructure)" and to “correct the overconcentration and build a multipolar, decentralized and diverse economy and society.”

Specifically, Ishiba set five pillars: making local regions the preferred choice of young people and women; creating an environment for industry, government and academia to relocate to local regions; creating new industrial sectors and innovation in local regions; developing infrastructure for a new era, including decarbonized power sources, artificial intelligence and data centers; and promoting a new framework for broad-based cooperation beyond prefectural borders.

In the area of diplomacy and security, he said about his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office on Jan. 20, “I would like to share our understanding on various security and economic issues, confirm further cooperation and raise the Japan-U.S. alliance to new heights.”

In the area of economic policy, Ishiba expressed his intention to place the highest priority on achieving wage increases that exceed price hikes.

He also announced his policy of striving to eliminate concerns about the social security system.

The LDP will face obstacles in the Diet session as the minority ruling party and needing to build cooperation with opposition parties.

Ishiba indicated that he will “seek to build a consensus across party lines,” and pointed out that the ruling and opposition parties “must deliberate from a responsible standpoint and strive to gain the public’s understanding and sympathy.”

“I will manage from the standpoint of democracy, which is to obtain better solutions through sincere policy discussions that reflect the diverse voices of the people,” he said. 

Regarding political reform in response to the LDP factions’ financial scandal, Ishiba said he would like to “deepen discussions beyond the boundaries of the ruling and opposition parties.”

He did not delve into specifics regarding corporate and group donations, which the opposition parties are demanding be abolished.

Ishiba also did not mention the issue of selective surnames for married couples.

Related News