Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi vowed to tackle growing public distrust of politics in the wake of a political fund scandal that involved factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, The Japan Times reported.
“We must respond with a sense of crisis to regain public trust at a time when the administration [of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida] is under intense scrutiny. It is my role to do what I can within my given responsibilities to restore trust.”
Hayashi also stated that the possible revision of the political fund control law, which the LDP factions were suspected of violating, was closely related to the freedom of political activity.
After each organisation identifies the causes [of the problem] and challenges, political parties and parliamentary groups — including the LDP — will discuss the matter.
Yoshimasa Hayashi took office on December 14 after his predecessor resigned over the scandal. The chief secretary pledged that the government would work to raise wages and completely defeat deflation, noting that raising salaries was a top priority for the Kishida administration.
“We want to support the expansion of investment that leads to improvements in productivity, which is the source of companies’ earning power. We want to completely overcome deflation and achieve expansion of growth and distribution, and their virtuous cycle.”
Moreover, Hayashi stated the government would do its best to return the land currently used by the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture to Japan by moving the base to the Henoko area of the southernmost prefecture.
It’s important to act with consideration for the feelings of Okinawa people by exchanging opinions and communicating in various ways.
However, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki refused to approve the change in the base relocation project, citing opposition from prefectural residents.
Hayashi also thanked the residents of his district for hoping he would become prime minister, declaring he would continue to pursue that ambition. However, he noted that he would support Kishida as a member of his administration for the time being and focus on his duties as chief cabinet secretary.
