Tomiko Okazaki, newly appointed National Public Safety Commission chairwoman and new state minister in charge of consumer affairs, intends to give the Consumer Affairs Agency more clout.
Collaboration between the agency and the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan and local-level consumer centers is key to addressing and minimizing consumer-related accidents, Okazaki said in a recent interview. "We must share information. (The agency is) asking the government to increase the number of officials at the organization."
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, an independent administrative body tasked with protecting consumers, tests products and collects consumer information both directly and through local municipal consumer centers.