Summary of Minister Fujii’s Inaugural Press Conference
Overview
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Fujii reported that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was 2.5%, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month. He expressed regret over improper processing in the Population Census in Toyama City and the resulting accusation, and explained that the preliminary results of the 2025 Population Census were used to calculate the fiscal 2026 ordinary local allocation tax. Regarding coverage of the 2024 House of Representatives election, he said he believed election campaigning had been handled appropriately in accordance with the law. To promote the social implementation of AI (AX), he said the government would advance telecommunications infrastructure, locally led initiatives, and international discussions on AI governance, and pursue measures informed by the action plan to be drawn up by year-end.
Key points
- The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was 2.5%, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.
- The minister expressed regret that improper processing in Toyama City's census was confirmed as a violation of the Statistics Act and that the Statistics Bureau filed an accusation with investigative authorities.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is advancing initiatives on telecommunications infrastructure, locally led AX, and AI governance.
- Regarding coverage of the 2024 House of Representatives election, the minister said he believed election campaigning had been conducted appropriately in accordance with the law.
Overview
At the start of his inaugural press conference, Minister Fujii reported the results of the Labour Force Survey presented at the Cabinet meeting. He explained that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was 2.5%, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.
Questions covered improper processing of the Population Census by Toyama City officials and suspected violations of the Statistics Act, calculation of the ordinary local allocation tax, coverage of the 2024 House of Representatives election, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' policy initiatives on the spread of AI (AX) and its action plan.
Impact
The minister said telecommunications infrastructure development would contribute to AX across society, while strongly promoting locally led AX would help achieve a strong regional economy.
He also described promoting international discussions on AI governance as an initiative to support the broad social implementation of AX.
Details
Improper processing in Toyama City was confirmed to violate the Statistics Act, resulting in a large discrepancy between the final and preliminary Population Census results. The minister expressed regret that the Statistics Bureau had filed an accusation with investigative authorities. He described the Population Census as the most fundamental and important statistical survey for clarifying the actual state of the population and households, and said the ministry would respond appropriately to requests for cooperation from investigative authorities to ensure accuracy.
Population is used as the measurement unit for several calculation items in determining the ordinary local allocation tax. The minister explained that, under the Local Allocation Tax Act, the population of each local government is taken from the latest Population Census results published in the Official Gazette. The calculation for fiscal 2026 used the preliminary results of the 2025 Population Census published in the Official Gazette. He declined to comment on future handling, saying the matter was being dealt with by investigative authorities.
News coverage of the 2024 general election for the House of Representatives said that a supporter who received payment for putting up candidate posters also campaigned on the same day. The minister said he was aware of the reports and stated that, in his view, election campaigning was being handled appropriately in accordance with legal provisions.
The minister explained that the prime minister had instructed the Growth Strategy Council to prepare an action plan by year-end to accelerate the social implementation of AX. He listed local government administration and finance, fire services, information and communications, broadcasting, postal services, administrative evaluation, and statistics among the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' areas of responsibility. He said the ministry would work with relevant ministries, steadily advance measures in light of the plan to be developed, and pursue the social implementation of AX.