Report Meeting Overview
On September 19, 2025, Prime Minister Ishiba attended the Regional Revitalization Accompanying Support System Report Meeting and Individual Progress Report at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. This system represents a new initiative where central government officials form teams as side jobs to support problem-solving in 60 local governments nationwide. The meeting received activity reports from support teams working in Biei Town, Hokkaido and Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture.
System Characteristics and Problem Recognition
Prime Minister Ishiba pointed out that the traditional "industry-government-academia-finance-labor-media" collaboration has not functioned effectively, with regional revitalization failing due to situations where "municipal offices just implement programs, private sector just relies on others, and citizens show no interest at all." The new system aims to resolve the disconnect between local areas and central government by having central ministry officials visit local areas, integrate into communities, and build relationships where they "become friends with residents and work together as a team."
Insights from Field Research
The Prime Minister highlighted structural problems where opportunities to understand local realities from Kasumigaseki (central government district) are limited, and official visits only reveal superficial responses. He highly praised how support officials actually integrating into communities in Biei Town and Ofunato City helped residents recognize that "the government is serious," leading to concrete initiatives. He emphasized the need for national, prefectural, and municipal governments to work together in addressing population decline and serious challenges across various industries.
Future Direction and System Continuity
During his remaining six months in office, the Prime Minister plans to hear reports from other teams and conduct comprehensive discussions. To ensure the results don't end with "we went there, had fun, and that's it," he indicated plans to make these achievements irreversible through continuing and developing the system under Minister Ito's leadership. He requested participants to engage in continuous efforts to restore unity between local areas and central government.