The children and families agency¡¯s newly appointed minister, Ayuko Kato, expressed her commitment to implementing a range of new policies regarding child-related issues during a joint interview with media organizations including The Japan Times on Tuesday.

One of the main aims of the agency is to help implement the Children¡¯s Future Strategy, a plan that was announced in June by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as a way to reverse Japan¡¯s declining birthrate.

¡°We held the Children¡¯s Future Strategy Council meeting yesterday and debates over various topics took place,¡± Kato said Tuesday. ¡°We are in the process of fleshing out the details by the end of the year.¡±