Comments on the Formation of the Kan Cabinet
June
8,
2010
Shosuke Mori, FEPC Chairman
A new Cabinet has been formed under Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
In spite of the long list of priority issues facing the Kan Cabinet as it looks to the future, not least restoring Japan’s public finances, addressing diplomatic and security issues, and tackling global warming, I hope that the Cabinet will listen carefully to people’s views at every level of society and adopt a policy-oriented approach to government under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Kan.
Although the Japanese economy is starting to find its feet again, we have yet to see a full-scale economic recovery as demonstrated by trends in electricity demand.
As Prime Minister Kan has pledged to “achieve a strong economy, strong finances and strong social welfare simultaneously,” I hope that his Cabinet will quickly map out a growth policy to consolidate Japan’s economic recovery and implement economic policies with a sense of urgency. I hope that the Cabinet will also tackle issues such as taxation, fiscal, and social security reform to dispel feelings of unease amongst the Japanese public.
Action on global warming will have a major impact on people’s lives and on areas such as industrial activity in the future. With that in mind, the Cabinet should give due consideration to the effect that its policies will have and the burden they will place on the public, and engage in public debate before proceeding. Given the increasing importance of energy security the world over, we expect that the Cabinet will also do its best to implement robust energy policies that do not waver in the medium- to long-term.
