PM Kishida to vow stronger steps for recovery of central Japan quake

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will pledge to take stronger steps for the recovery of a central Japan region devastated by a New Year’s Day earthquake when he delivers his policy speech in the upcoming Diet session, government sources said Wednesday.

He is expected to announce the establishment of a headquarters, which he will lead, dedicated to formulating and executing reconstruction measures in the wake of the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, claiming over 230 lives, the sources said.

In the speech scheduled for Tuesday, Kishida is expected to say, “I will be responsible for the restoration of Noto (region) and for the return of disaster victims” forced to evacuate from their homes, the sources said.

The prime minister will refer to the government’s recent decision to double the reserve funds earmarked in the draft budget for fiscal 2024 starting April and vow to exert efforts with the mindset of “doing everything one can” for quake recovery.

The funds were raised to 1 trillion yen ($6.8 billion).

Kishida also plans to express his resolve to restore public trust in politics by increasing the transparency of political funds. This comes in the aftermath of charges against lawyers and former and incumbent accountants of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s factions for misreporting revenues from fundraising parties over many years.

The scandal has dealt a blow to Kishida, sharply pushing down approval ratings for his Cabinet.

He will say that reviving the Japanese economy continues to be his government’s “biggest mission,” the sources said.

To this end, he will pledge to realize pay hikes for part-time and nonregular employees, as well as workers in medical, social welfare and public services and at small and medium-sized firms, the sources said.

On foreign policy, Kishida is likely to voice his intention to deepen Japan’s relationship with the United States, including in the area of economic security, through his planned U.S. visit as a state guest, the sources said.