Japan’s internal affairs minister, Hisayuki Fujii, announced on Wednesday that the central government must strengthen local government systems to confront labor shortages across regional communities. Fujii, who took office on Sept. 17 as part of a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, emphasized that small local governments are particularly affected by labor shortages.
Administrative Overhaul and Streamlining Procedures
To ease the operational burden on understaffed municipal offices, Fujii called for an expedited review of administrative procedures and role allocations. By cutting red tape, local authorities can redirect their limited workforces toward creative administrative tasks.
Hometown Tax Program Adjustments
Addressing the popular furusato nōzei hometown tax donation program, Fujii described the initiative as “very significant” in tackling regional challenges. Local governments have increasingly pushed for reductions in the fees they pay to dedicated portal site operators that facilitate the donations. Fujii confirmed that the central government will take up the fee reduction issue during the annual tax system review later this year.
Combating Election Misinformation
Turning to democratic integrity, Fujii stated that he will urge social media platform operators to take voluntary action against false information and candidate defamation ahead of elections. While a new law mandating such platform moderation is in the pipeline, Fujii noted that voluntary mitigation is needed immediately because elections are “fundamental to democracy” and combating misinformation is a “critical challenge.”
Securing Critical Communications and Submarine Cables
On the economic security front, Fujii highlighted the vital role of submarine cables, which currently handle 99% of Japan’s international communications. Outlining concrete steps to safeguard national connectivity, he detailed plans to secure supply capacity, support physical cable laying, implement multi-routing to mitigate disruption risks, and enhance overall cable protection.
Decentralization and Backup Infrastructure
Addressing regional planning and disaster readiness, the minister indicated that Osaka was not the primary choice for a secondary capital candidate to function as a backup for Tokyo. Instead, the central focus remains centered on establishing a backup system in case of large-scale disasters and creating a multipolar decentralized economic zone.
