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
- 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 Policy Management and Structural Reform, Basic Principles of Budget Formulation, Structural Reform and Medium-Term Economic and Fiscal Perspectives).
- In compliance with inquiries by the Prime Minister and/or responsible ministers, examining and ensuring consistency among important economic policies.
- Advising the Prime Minister on the above issues.
Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy
Council for Science and Technology Policy
Roles of the Council
| 1) | In response to the inquiries by the Prime Minister and/or relevant ministers, investigating and discussing: a) Basic policies and programs for comprehensive and systematic promotion of science and technology, and b) Policies of financial and human resource allocation, and other important matters related to the promotion of S&T |
|---|---|
| 2) | The Council evaluates large-scale R&D and other critical R&D. |
| 3) | As for a) and b) above, where necessary the Council has the power to give advice to the Prime Minister and/or relevant ministers without inquires. |
Council for Science and Technology Policy
Central Disaster Management Council
Roles of the Council
Formulate and promote implementation of the Basic Disaster Management Plan and Earthquake Countermeasures Plans.
Formulate and promote implementation of the urgent measures plan for major disasters.
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)
Offer opinions regarding important issues on disaster reduction to the Prime Minister and Minister of State for Disaster Management.
Members
| Chair | Prime Minister | |
|---|---|---|
| Members | Minister of State for Disaster Management and all Cabinet Ministers (less than 17 persons) Heads of designated public corporation (4) |
|
| Toshihiko Fukui | Governor of the Bank of Japan | |
| Tadateru Konoe | President of Japanese Red Cross Society | |
| Masayuki Matsumoto | President of Nippon-Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) | |
| Satoshi Miura | President of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation | |
Experts (4) |
||
| Katsuyuki Abe | Honorary professor of the University of Tokyo | |
| Keiko Tamura | Professor of Fuji Tokoha University | |
| Yoshinobu Ishikawa | Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture | |
| Shigeharu Watanabe | Chairman of Japan Firefighters Association | |
Council for Gender Equality
Roles of the Council
- To submit its opinions to the Prime Minister with regard to the Basic Plan for Gender Equality.
- 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.
- 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
| Chairperson | Nobutaka Machimura | Chief Cabinet Secretary |
|---|---|---|
| Member | Hiroya Masuda | Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications |
| Kunio Hatoyama | Minister of Justice | |
| Masahiko Koumura | Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| Fukushiro Nukaga | Minister of Finance | |
| Kisaburo Tokai | Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology | |
| Yoichi Masuzoe | Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare | |
| Masatoshi Wakabayashi | Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | |
| Akira Amari | Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry | |
| Tetsuzo Fuyushiba | Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | |
| Ichiro Kamoshita | Minister of the Environment | |
| Shinya Izumi | Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission | |
| Yoko Kamikawa | Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs | |
| Kimie Iwata | Corporate Executive Officer, Responsible for Personnel and Consumer Information, Shiseido, Ltd. | |
| Masako Uemoto | Vice President, All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (JICHIRO) | |
| Yukako Uchinaga | Technical Advisor, IBM Japan, Ltd. | |
| Kumiko Obino | President of Interact Japan Inc. | |
| Takashi Kashima | Professor, Jissen Women's University | |
| Tsunehisa Katsumata | President, The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. | |
| Sayuri Kato | Executive Secretary, National Federation of Regional Women's Organizations | |
| Kanna Kouzu | Author | |
| Hiroki Sato | Professor, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo | |
| Takako Sodei | Professor Emeritus, Ochanomizu University | |
| Toshiaki Tachibanaki | Professor of Doshisha University | |
| Masanori Tanimoto | Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture |