[Title] Statement by Prime Minister Kishida

August 10, 2022

Cabinet Decision

Japan now faces a range of issues that will define history, including COVID-19, Russian aggression against Ukraine, and soaring commodity prices worldwide.

The nation now finds itself amid what can be called crises that are among the most challenging of the post-war era. Under that recognition, we will transform into strength the confidence the public has invested in us in two national elections and push forward with overcoming challenges and carrying out policies decisively.

In particular, we will mobilize all policy measures through the collective efforts of the Cabinet and undertake as our foremost priorities:

- overcoming COVID-19, reviving the economy, and creating a sustainable economy and society, and

- contributing to the building of a new international order suitable for the next stage of the post-Cold War era.

In concrete terms, we will take all possible measures to, among other objectives, respond flexibly to the current spread of COVID-19 infections as well as to rising prices and other economic conditions, and ensure a stable energy supply. In so doing, we will fully defend Japanese people's daily lives and also the Japanese economy.

In addition, by reorienting social issues into engines for growth, we will engage in full-scale efforts towards realizing a New Form of Capitalism in order to create a sustainable and inclusive economy and society.

Furthermore, taking the Japan-US Alliance as the cornerstone, we will advance diplomacy and security that fully defend Japan. Towards that end, we will, among other actions, strengthen our relations with our allies and with like-minded countries such as through vigorously promoting a Free and Open Indo-Pacific; and draw up a new National Security Strategy and other security-related documents and fundamentally reinforce our defense capabilities in order to respond to the security environment surrounding Japan, which has become even more severe.

We will take up these challenges while upholding our basic stance of realizing politics that earns the public's trust and sympathy as we listen earnestly to the voices of the citizens, an approach we have underscored ever since the administration was inaugurated last year.

We ask once again for the public's understanding and cooperation as we pursue these goals.