Takaichi Attends Eighth Regional Future Strategy Meeting
Overview
On October 30, 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi attended the Eighth Meeting of Relevant Senior Vice Ministers on the Regional Future Strategy and the Prime Minister’s Report on the Regional Future Strategy, held at the Prime Minister’s Office. She reviewed progress on regional industrial cluster plans and local industry growth plans, and instructed officials to strengthen hands-on support for municipalities, appoint Regional Future Strategy Promotion Officers, and formulate a framework for realizing the Regional Future Strategy by the end of the year.
Key points
- More than 100 plans have been formulated and published, mainly under the Regional Industrial Cluster Plan.
- Nine people were appointed as Regional Future Strategy Promotion Officers.
- The government stated that it would formulate the Regional Future Strategy Realization Framework by year-end to address the specific needs of local governments.
Overview
On October 30, 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi attended the “Eighth Meeting of Relevant Senior Vice Ministers on the Regional Future Strategy and the Prime Minister’s Report on the Regional Future Strategy” at the Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting discussed reports on the Regional Industrial Cluster Plan and local industry growth plans.
The Prime Minister said that concrete plans making use of the distinctive characteristics and strengths of each region were taking shape, spanning growth fields such as medical care and biotechnology, next-generation mobility, aerospace and drones, as well as locally rooted industries such as agriculture and forestry and traditional crafts.
Impact
The Prime Minister said the aim was for the national government to work hand in hand with the passion and ambition of local governments, extend industrial clusters throughout Japan, and transform the regional landscape.
Details
To further promote municipalities’ development of plans, she instructed officials to strengthen the hands-on support system, in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and prefectures and with the participation of relevant ministries and regional bureaus. She also called for discussions with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on mechanisms to support related companies under the plans, including management guidance from chambers of commerce and commerce and industry associations.
To strengthen the system for promoting the Regional Future Strategy, nine “Regional Future Strategy Promotion Officers,” including bureau-director-level officials from relevant ministries, were appointed. As the leads for their respective fields, they were instructed to address local governments’ specific needs and accelerate work on formulating the realization framework.
The “Regional Future Strategy Realization Framework” will include multi-year budget measures; local fiscal measures that take municipalities’ financial burdens into account; support for plan development; use of support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises in supply chain investment for cluster plans; additional budget measures through a separate “Regional Future Special Allocation” outside existing budgets, including new and accelerated infrastructure funding; and support for human resource development.