Important Councils

What are Important Councils?

When administrative reform took place in 2001, strengthening the function of the Cabinet was among the most important items. From this point, the Cabinet Office was set up to strengthen the role of supporting the Cabinet.
The Cabinet Office works as "the place of wisdom" that helps the Cabinet and the Prime Minister. The Cabinet Office has four important councils; the chairman of each council should be either the Prime Minister or the Chief Cabinet Secretary, while members of the councils are designated to ministers in charge of related policies and specialists in the designated fields:

1)Council on Economy and Fiscal Policy
2)Council for Science and Technology Policy
3)Central Disaster Management Council
4)Council for Gender Equality

Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy

Roles of the Council

  1. In response to inquiries by the Prime Minister, carrying out surveys and discussions on important economic and fiscal policies (e.g. Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform, Basic Principles of Budget Formulation).
  2. In compliance with inquiries by the Prime Minister and/or responsible ministers, examining and ensuring consistency among important economic policies.
  3. Advising the Prime Minister on the above issues.

Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy

Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

Roles of the Council

  1. Investigate and discuss basic science and technology policies
  2. Investigate and discuss the allocation of resources including science and technology budgets
  3. Evaluate Japan ’s key research and development

Members

Chair Prime Minister
Member 7 Ministers (including Prime Minister and Minister of State for S&T policy) and 8 Executive Members
Secretariat Bureau of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, Cabinet Office

Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

Central Disaster Management Council

Roles of the Council

  1. Formulate and promote implementation of the Basic Disaster Management Plan and Earthquake Countermeasures Plans.
  2. Deliberate important issues on disaster reduction according to requests from the Prime Minister or Minister of State for Disaster Management
    (basic disaster management policies, overall coordination of disaster countermeasures and declaration of state of disaster emergency)
  3. Offer opinions regarding important issues on disaster reduction to the Prime Minister and Minister of State for Disaster Management.

Members      （As of June 26, 2018）

Chair

Prime Minister

Members

  • Minister of State for Disaster Management and all Cabinet Ministers
  • Heads of designated public corporation (4)
    • Haruhiko Kuroda, Governor of the Bank of Japan
    • Tadateru Konoe, President of Japanese Red Cross Society
    • Ryoichi Ueda, President of Nippon-Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
    • Jun Sawada, President of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
  • Experts (5)
    • Hisako Komuro, Professor of Tokyo International University
    • Naoshi Hirata, Head of Earthquake Prediction Research Center, The University of Tokyo
    • Eikei Suzuki, Chairman of Special Committee for Risk Management / Disaster Control, National Governors' Association (Governor of Mie Prefecture)
    • Kazuo Ueda, Vice Chairman of Japan Firefighters Association
    • Yoshitake Yokokura, Chairman of Survivors Health Support Liaison Council

Council for Gender Equality

Roles of the Council

  1. To submit its opinions to the Prime Minister with regard to the Basic Plan for Gender Equality.
  2. To study and deliberate upon basic policies and measures and important matters with regard to promotion of the formation of a gender-equal society in response to consultations with the Prime Minister and other relevant ministers, and submit its opinions to them, when recognized as necessary after study and deliberation.
  3. To monitor the implementation status of government measures to promote the formation of a gender-equal society, to study the impacts of government measures on the formation of a gender-equal society, and to submit its opinions to the Prime Minister and other relevant ministers when recognized as necessary.

Members      （As of October 2, 2018）

Chairperson

Chief Cabinet Secretary

Member

  • Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
  • Minister of Justice
  • Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Minister of Finance
  • Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
  • Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
  • Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
  • Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
  • Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
  • Minister of the Environment
  • Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission
  • Minister of State for Gender Equality
  • Kentaro Iemoto, President and CEO, CLARA ONLINE, Inc.
  • Tomiko Kakinuma, President, National Federation of Regional Women's Organizations
  • Takako Konishi, Dean of Faculty of Human Sciences, Musashino University
  • Norio Sasaki, Vice President, Jumonji University
  • Hiroki Sato, Professor, Chuo University
  • Toshiyuki Shiga, Member of the Board of Directors, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
  • Shiro Takahashi, Specially approved visiting professor of Reitaku University Graduate School, Professor of Moralogy Institute
  • Miyoko Tsujimura, Professor, Meiji Law School
  • Fumiko Hayashi, Mayor of Yokohama
  • Miyuki Matsuda, Vice Mayor of Fukutsu
  • Kimiko Murofushi, President, Ochanomizu University
  • Tomoko Yoshino, Vice President, Japanese Trade Union Confederation
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