With a focus on Japan’s economic growth and stabilization of peoples’ lives, he expresses a willingness to guide international community to a world free of nuclear weapons: Interview details with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Sep. 30, 2022
by Masaharu Nakagawa, Staff Writer
On September 29, the Chugoku Shimbun interviewed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as he looked back at his government administration prior to marking its first anniversary, and shared his resolve to address domestic politics and foreign diplomacy.
You will mark the milestone of your first-year anniversary since the start of your administration on October 4. What is your current state of mind?
We have faced major historic challenges one after the other such as the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and worldwide price increases (since inauguration). During that time I had to make decisions ultimately by myself, responsibly. Keeping those things in mind, I did my best in a series of decisions and executions.
State funeral of Shinzo Abe has just completed.
We were able to send off Mr. Abe with solemn and cordial manners. Our citizens’ opinions and criticisms must be taken seriously so they can be well utilized for the future.
Which field would you put emphasis on?
We will focus on measures against price surges. Contingency funds amounting to 3.5 trillion yen will be provided to citizens as an additional measure. To address the issue seamlessly, a comprehensive economic policy will be developed in October. In the new form of capitalism that we want to realize, we intend to increase the number of start-ups ten times over the next five years. As for the promotion of Green Transformation (GX), a 10-year roadmap will be created by the end of the year as well. We will intensively focus on economic growth and the stabilization of citizens’ lives.
In August through September, you made an appeal for realizing “a world without nuclear weapons” at the United Nations (UW) headquarters, and in May of next year, the summit of G7 (Group of seven industrialized nations) will take place in Hiroshima.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference failed to adopt the final document, but the conference laid a new foundation for proceeding with realistic discussions towards nuclear disarmament.
Since the time when I served as the minister of foreign affairs, I have keenly felt the significance and impact of the place name of Hiroshima. Now there’s a severe reality in which risks of nuclear threats and the use of nuclear weapons are escalating due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the only nation that has suffered nuclear weapon attacks during wartime, we will guide the international community to a world free of nuclear weapons.
Under circumstances where three documents concerning Japan-US Security Treaty need to be revised by the end of the year, how are you going to deal with it?
The environment surrounding our nation has become more and more harsh. In order to protect the lives of people and their livelihood, we would like to accumulate concrete contents without excluding all possible choices. It is crucial to enhance our deterrence capability through the Japan-US Security Treaty. With the proposal by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which suggests the development of a counterattack capability, deliberation is underway.
(Originally published on September 30, 2022)
On September 29, the Chugoku Shimbun interviewed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as he looked back at his government administration prior to marking its first anniversary, and shared his resolve to address domestic politics and foreign diplomacy.
●One year passes since inauguration
You will mark the milestone of your first-year anniversary since the start of your administration on October 4. What is your current state of mind?
We have faced major historic challenges one after the other such as the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and worldwide price increases (since inauguration). During that time I had to make decisions ultimately by myself, responsibly. Keeping those things in mind, I did my best in a series of decisions and executions.
State funeral of Shinzo Abe has just completed.
We were able to send off Mr. Abe with solemn and cordial manners. Our citizens’ opinions and criticisms must be taken seriously so they can be well utilized for the future.
●Kishida administration’s direction from now
Which field would you put emphasis on?
We will focus on measures against price surges. Contingency funds amounting to 3.5 trillion yen will be provided to citizens as an additional measure. To address the issue seamlessly, a comprehensive economic policy will be developed in October. In the new form of capitalism that we want to realize, we intend to increase the number of start-ups ten times over the next five years. As for the promotion of Green Transformation (GX), a 10-year roadmap will be created by the end of the year as well. We will intensively focus on economic growth and the stabilization of citizens’ lives.
●Diplomacy and security assurance
In August through September, you made an appeal for realizing “a world without nuclear weapons” at the United Nations (UW) headquarters, and in May of next year, the summit of G7 (Group of seven industrialized nations) will take place in Hiroshima.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference failed to adopt the final document, but the conference laid a new foundation for proceeding with realistic discussions towards nuclear disarmament.
Since the time when I served as the minister of foreign affairs, I have keenly felt the significance and impact of the place name of Hiroshima. Now there’s a severe reality in which risks of nuclear threats and the use of nuclear weapons are escalating due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the only nation that has suffered nuclear weapon attacks during wartime, we will guide the international community to a world free of nuclear weapons.
Under circumstances where three documents concerning Japan-US Security Treaty need to be revised by the end of the year, how are you going to deal with it?
The environment surrounding our nation has become more and more harsh. In order to protect the lives of people and their livelihood, we would like to accumulate concrete contents without excluding all possible choices. It is crucial to enhance our deterrence capability through the Japan-US Security Treaty. With the proposal by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which suggests the development of a counterattack capability, deliberation is underway.
(Originally published on September 30, 2022)
