Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi used her New Year¡¯s message Thursday to pledge to press ahead with necessary reforms, without fear of change.
Noting that the new year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Japan¡¯s previous Showa Era, Takaichi touted the possibility of a better future.
¡°The anticipation that tomorrow will be better than today is a kind of hope that people felt through much of the Showa era,¡± she said.
¡°Bolstered by a strong and unwavering belief in the latent power and vitality of Japan and the Japanese people, I want to learn from the wisdom and the efforts of those who came before us, who lived in the days of momentous change in the Showa era,¡± she added.
¡°Moreover, I will not fear change, and I will decisively push through necessary reforms,¡± the prime minister said.
Since taking office in October, Takaichi said her administration has ¡°succeeded in fulfilling the pledges we made to the public by passing the supplementary budget¡± and ¡°has been able to set forth a certain direction toward building a robust economy and ensuring strong diplomacy and security.¡±
At the same time, she acknowledged that her Cabinet ¡°has only just begun its work, and the challenges this administration must tackle as we go forward are stacked very high indeed.¡±
¡°I make a New Year¡¯s pledge to the Japanese people to make the Japanese archipelago stronger and more prosperous, and to give rise to hope in our country by doing so,¡± Takaichi concluded.
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