Summary of Internal Affairs Minister Hayashi’s Press Conference
Overview
At a press conference on September 17, 2026, Minister for Internal Affairs Hayashi announced that he had submitted his resignation and reflected on his approximately 11-month tenure. He described visits to 26 prefectures, securing the fiscal 2026 budget, enactment of six bills and the NHK budget, and responses to natural disasters. He said he would proceed with the handover to the new minister and, regardless of his position, continue listening to regional voices and contributing to solutions to regional issues.
Key points
- Minister for Internal Affairs Hayashi submitted his resignation and delivered farewell remarks.
- He visited 26 prefectures during his tenure.
- In the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake, he worked on firefighting, communications, personnel dispatches, and special administrative consultations.
- He said that realizing sustainable local communities is important in light of population decline and advancing aging.
Overview
At the post-extraordinary Cabinet meeting press conference on September 17, 2026, Minister for Internal Affairs Hayashi explained that he had served as Minister for Internal Affairs as a member of the Takaichi Cabinet for approximately 11 months since taking office on October 21 of the previous year. He said that, because the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ administration is closely connected to people’s lives across a broad range, he emphasized understanding conditions on the ground in local areas and advancing policies while listening to a variety of voices.
The press conference included questions and answers about policies during his tenure, disaster response, local issues, involvement with local communities after his resignation, and the handover to the new minister.
Impact
Minister Hayashi said that securing the budget needed for fiscal 2026 and enacting six bills and the NHK budget enabled the government to present a certain direction to people facing high prices and to local governments working to resolve regional issues.
Minister Hayashi said that even after his resignation, he wanted to listen carefully to regional voices and contribute to efforts that help resolve regional issues.
Details
In responding to natural disasters, he worked to rescue people by dispatching the Emergency Firefighting Assistance Teams, secure communications environments, dispatch personnel to provide support, and conduct special administrative consultations in order to support municipalities affected by the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake. He also advanced efforts to resolve issues in local public administration and finance, elections, firefighting, information and communications, broadcasting, postal services, administrative consultations, administrative evaluation, and statistics.
As matters for the handover, he cited continuing consultations with local governments on guidelines concerning a temporary reduction in the consumption tax rate for food and beverages and the introduction of support payments to reduce workers’ burdens, as well as the model project and preparations for launching the Furusato Resident Registration System.
As a response to population decline, aging, and depopulation, he introduced the idea of “smart shrinkage” that he heard about in Kochi Prefecture. He explained that it is one approach, using technologies such as AX, presented in the request for an approximate budget, to maintain local communities and society even while the population continues to decline for the time being.