[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida Regarding His Visit to the Messages of Life Exhibition

(On how Prime Minister Kishida felt when he saw a large number of exhibits, such as the relics and photos of people who lost their lives in crimes and traffic accidents, and what the prevention of crimes and accidents as well as support for bereaved family members should be like in the future)

First of all, today I visited the venue and faced each and every “messenger” (life-size standee of a victim) for those who lost their lives. It gave me a valuable opportunity to once again realize how precious life is. I would like to express my heartfelt respect to the organizers of the event. Protecting the lives of the people from crimes or traffic accidents is a very important role the Government should play. On its part, the Government has been promoting various security and traffic safety measures, by advancing efforts approved in the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures against Crime and other meetings.

Last December, I personally met with traffic accident victims and heard their earnest wishes at the Prime Minister’s Office. In response to this, I instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to review what the response to dangerous driving causing death or injury should be, and we are currently working on this. In addition, I keenly realized once again that the Government must carry out various crime prevention and other measures earnestly, while taking into account the feelings of the victims of these crimes or their families, during my visit to the venue today. Based on what I felt and experienced today as well as what I heard today, I would like to reflect them in our policies going forward.