Takaichi Begins Full Preparations for Key Policies

Tokyo, Feb. 10 (Jiji Press)–After leading her ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s historic victory in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi began full-scale preparations Tuesday for realizing signature policies. Takaichi held talks with her cabinet ministers relevant to key policies, including a consumption tax cut and plans to enhance national intelligence functions. Although these policies include divisive issues, such as espionage prevention legislation, the government is expected to leverage public opinion as a tailwind, with a focus on moves by cautious lawmakers in the LDP as well as opposition parties. After the first cabinet meeting held Tuesday since the election, Takaichi told all ministers to stay focused and diligently perform their duties, urging them to fully commit to fulfilling campaign pledges. She later met separately with Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama to discuss a proposal to lower the consumption tax rate on food items to zero for two years, for which the LDP has vowed to “expedite consideration” in its campaign promises. In the afternoon, Takaichi held talks at the prime minister’s office with LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki, Haruko Arimura, head of the party’s General Council, and LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi. At a news conference Monday, Takaichi, as LDP president, reiterated her intention to implement a zero consumption tax on food. She indicated plans to study financial resources and a schedule at a proposed suprapartisan national congress, aiming to compile an interim report by summer. “I was strongly pushed by the people to do whatever it takes,” she also said at the press conference, referring to plans to bolster the country’s intelligence activities. The government is slated to submit bills to a special session of the Diet, the country’s parliament, to be convened Feb. 18 to establish a national intelligence agency and a Japanese version of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review foreign capital investments. A senior official of the prime minister’s office emphasized that Sunday’s election for the lower chamber of the Diet was “a passing point for the prime minister to realize her signature policies.” However, some within the LDP remain cautious about the consumption tax cut due to concerns over fiscal discipline. Worries also persist that an espionage prevention law could lead to human rights violations. There is also strong opposition among the public to land-use regulations on foreign nationals, legislation that would allow the common use of maiden names and the relaxation of rules on the transfer of defense equipment. “We must not seek populism,” an LDP member, who once held a cabinet post, said. A middle-ranking LDP member close to Takaichi said the prime minister “should take a cautious approach to get through next autumn’s party presidential election smoothly.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]