Allow me to cite from a private conversation held with former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi around the summer of 2004, following the the Upper House election in July and ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle in September. I had made two requests of Koizumi: Revise the government's interpretation of the Constitution on the nation's right of collective self-defense, and raise the consumption tax rate.
I was aware that the Koizumi Cabinet was unlikely to do anything about my requests. Still, I asked that the prime minister, at the very least, never say, "I will not do these things during the tenure of this Cabinet." That's because it was the habitual approach of the media and the opposition parties to seek the prime minister's views on important issues at press conferences and question sessions in the Diet immediately following the formation of a new Cabinet, thus tying the hands of the Cabinet.
As prime minister, Koizumi rarely listened to the opinions of others. So I don't know how much he embraced my views. But as far as I know, he never made statements dismissive of my proposals until his tenure ended.