TOKYO, Apr 6 (NNN-NHK) – Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, yesterday said, he is willing to establish a new agency, aimed at spearheading policies related to children.
The ruling party lawmakers proposed the children’s agency last week, in an effort to woo voters ahead of a general election.
“We need to eliminate the sectionalism of policies and consider how an organisation should be,” said Suga, at a meeting of the House of Councillors’ Audit Committee.
“From the broad standpoint of ensuring Japan’s future, I want my party to study the establishment of such an agency,” he said.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers, asked the government to set up the agency, to coordinate child policies, in terms of medical and educational services and those handled by police as part of the country’s efforts to address its low birthrate.
Suga already instructed the LDP to produce a blueprint for the agency. It will be set up as part of a special organisation under the prime minister and headed by Secretary General, Toshihiro Nikai.
In order to appeal to people with children, the government is trying to include the children’s agency in its basic policies, to be compiled around June.
The agency may be in charge of issues, including child poverty, abuse and suicides, as well as, the realignment of the administrative jurisdiction of nursery schools and kindergartens.– NNN-NHK
