Prime Minister Shinzo Abe released a basic policy paper for his new Cabinet members Wednesday, saying acceleration of recovery in the disaster-hit Tohoku region and promotion of women's status in society are among his administration's top priority issues.
Earlier in the day, Abe reshuffled his Cabinet, replacing six of the original 18 members. The three-page paper, shown to the ministers during their first meeting, cited seven goals.
At the top of the list is speeding up the recovery in Tohoku, which was hit by the gigantic quake and ensuing tsunami of March 11, 2011, subsequently triggering the triple meltdown crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
The second priority is recovery of the deflation-ridden economy, and at No. 3 is reinvigoration of rural regional economies.
Fourth on the list is building "a society where women shine." Abe has pledged to promote women's status in male-dominated Japanese society and increase the ratio of female leaders in all walks of life to more than 30 percent by 2020.
The fifth priority is education reform to enable schools to deal with a "diversified sense of values," and to enable all children to receive a sound education regardless of their economic status.
The sixth priority is to "ensure a sense of security" in everyday life. The administration will promote reforms to achieve sustainable social security systems and build a strong social infrastructure that can prevent natural disasters.
The seventh is "reconstruction of diplomacy and national security measures."
According to the paper, the administration will actively contribute to world peace and quickly enact national security bills, presumably including legislation to lay the legal foundation for Japan to use the right of collective self-defense.