TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru said Friday that his government plans to set the fundamental direction of regional revitalization policies by the end of the year.

The government will launch a panel of regional business leaders and officials to discuss details, Ishiba said at the inaugural meeting of his ministerial task force on regional revitalization.

Ishiba also said that his government will aim to double regional revitalization-related subsidies to local governments in fiscal 2025 to support efforts to add value in industries including agriculture and tourism and create cultural value through new technologies.

Part of the subsidies will be included in a fiscal 2024 supplementary budget, he said.

Ishiba gives priority to regional revitalization. In his inaugural press conference last month, he said that he will focus on creating living environments in regional areas so people can work and live with peace of mind, moving people and businesses to regional areas to address overconcentration in Tokyo, and realizing value-added regional economies.

JIJI Press