Ishiba Vows Reiwa Version of Japanese Archipelago Remodeling

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, in his first policy address at parliament since taking office last October, vowed Friday to bring vitality back to the country through the remodeling of the Japanese archipelago in the current Reiwa era.

In the address at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, Ishiba unveiled five pillars for the promotion of regional revitalization under a Reiwa remodeling initiative for the entire country. The Japanese era started in May 2019.

The five pillars include creating regional areas attractive to and chosen by young people and women, facilitating the transfer of public- and private-sector and academic facilities to regional areas, and drawing up a vision for regional innovation.

Specifically, the country will work on rectifying the gender pay gap, allowing local government employees to work side jobs flexibly, and moving functions of central government agencies, including a planned disaster management agency, out of Tokyo, Ishiba said.

He said he aims to make Japan an exciting country with vitality where each and every person with diverse values can achieve self-realization.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]