TOKYO: Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae underscored her administration’s bold and swift actions to confront mounting global turmoil, especially in the Middle East. She highlighted the turbulence sparked by U.S. strikes on Iran and blockades in the Hormuz Strait, which have sent shockwaves through supply chains at home and abroad.

During a Monday evening press conference, Prime Minister Takaichi unveiled a sweeping government response designed to shield the nation’s economy and protect livelihoods by ensuring a steady flow of vital energy resources.

To put these safeguards into action, Takaichi revealed that her administration had swiftly convened 11 ministerial meetings to tackle the crisis head-on. The government moved to secure new sources of crude oil and LNG and approved the flexible release of national oil reserves.

An emergency petroleum fund was rolled out to subsidize fuel costs, aiming to keep gasoline prices stable at 170 yen nationwide while supporting key sectors like public transport, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. The government also took steps to ease distribution snags for essential goods such as paint, thinners, and medical gloves, ensuring small business owners and farmers could keep working.

Beyond urgent crisis response, the Japanese government set its sights on lasting energy security. Internationally, it championed the Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative and launched the ambitious Power Asia project.

Takaichi explained that this effort would unite Indo-Pacific nations to secure oil supplies, overhaul supply chains, and create a regional oil stockpiling and release network, all while diversifying energy sources for a more resilient future.

Buoyed by a sweeping 316-seat victory in the February House of Representatives election, the Takaichi administration launched an ambitious drive to reshape Japan through bold fiscal policy. This transformative agenda saw a record 64 bills passed in a special Diet session, all aimed at boosting industrial competitiveness, welfare, and public safety.

The administration also rolled out the Japan Growth Strategy and Regional Future Strategy, setting its sights on 250 trillion yen in private investment and a 1,400 trillion yen GDP by 2040, with a sharp focus on 17 strategic sectors and 62 breakthrough technologies.

Security and diplomacy took center stage as well. Facing new threats in cyber, cognitive, and economic arenas, the administration bolstered intelligence by creating the National Information Council and National Information Bureau. With the weight of a 316-seat mandate behind them, leaders stressed that this is just the beginning. Despite pushback, their resolve to break from past austerity and steer Japan toward growth, stability, and revitalized national strength remains unwavering.

Regarding Japan-China relations, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that China remains an important neighbor and that the administration’s policy of fostering a strategic relationship of mutual benefit is unchanged. The importance of maintaining regular communication at all levels was emphasized, with ongoing dialogue occurring through multiple channels, including initiatives led by Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu.

While the government intends to continue engagement with China, the Prime Minister stated that Japan will respond calmly and in accordance with national interests and declined to provide specific details about a potential summit with President Xi Jinping in October.

Concerning policy toward foreigners in Japan, the Prime Minister discussed the government’s recent formation of a working group to consider quantitative management of foreign residents.

This initiative was established to address public concerns regarding fairness as the number of foreign nationals in Japan increases. The government has already developed comprehensive measures to promote a cohesive society and is currently conducting cross-ministerial investigations, including expert consultations, to determine the fundamental approach to accepting foreign nationals.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the objective is to ensure orderly coexistence in accordance with public rules and explicitly stated that the government seeks to avoid any perception of Japan as unfriendly or unwelcoming to foreign nationals. A basic policy on this issue is expected within the current fiscal year.