Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi. Yonhap News Agency/AFP.  

The cabinet led by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi officially began its policy initiatives on the 22nd. The ministers, who were inaugurated the previous day, explained their key policy tasks through press conferences on this day.

According to Nikkei and other outlets, Prime Minister Takaichi instructed Kenichiro Ueno, the Minister of Environment and Labor, to review the relaxation of overtime regulations. Under the labor reform law implemented in Japan in 2019, overtime is permitted up to a maximum of 720 hours per year, with penalties for violations.

Minister Ueno stated, "I intend to deepen discussions while considering the Prime Minister's directive."

Immediately after being elected as the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader on the 4th, Prime Minister Takaichi emphasized, "I will discard the term 'work-life balance' and will work, work, work, work, and work."

Kimiko Oda, the Minister for Foreign Policy, expressed her intention to re-examine related systems, stating, "The public feels anxiety and unfairness due to crimes and nuisance acts by some foreigners and the improper use of systems."

He added, "I have been instructed by the Prime Minister to comprehensively promote the proper use and management of the country's land to strengthen the system."

Hiroshi Hiraguchi, the Minister of Justice, also conveyed that Prime Minister Takaichi had ordered stronger measures against illegal immigration and thorough entry-exit controls.

During the LDP leadership election last month, Prime Minister Takaichi had emphasized the need to strengthen regulations on foreigners, claiming that some foreigners were kicking deer in Nara City, Nara Prefecture.

Koizumi Shinjirō, the Minister of Defense, stated at his inauguration ceremony that there is a need to consider the early revision of the three major security documents that Prime Minister Takaichi has shown enthusiasm for.

Regarding whether nuclear power is included as a next-generation propulsion system for the "next-generation propulsion submarine" mentioned in the document agreed upon by the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party on the 20th, Defense Minister Koizumi said, "We will not exclude any options."

However, some media outlets pointed out that a nuclear-powered submarine would contradict related laws that stipulate the use of nuclear power solely for peaceful purposes.

Kyodo News reported on the 22nd that according to a telephone survey of 1,053 national voters conducted over two days until today, the approval rating for the Takaichi cabinet was 64.4%.

The initial approval rating for the Takaichi cabinet is 13.7 percentage points higher than that of the previous Shigeru Ishiba cabinet's 50.7%. It also surpasses the initial approval rating of 55.7% for the Fumio Kishida cabinet, which led the nation for three years from 2021. However, it is lower than the initial approval rating of 66.4% for the Yoshihide Suga cabinet, which was launched in 2020.

The opinion that the inauguration of Prime Minister Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, will lead to increased activity by women was 76.5%.

Regarding the establishment of a coalition government between the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party, 64.4% responded "good," and 66.2% positively evaluated the Komeito party's separation from the LDP.

In relation to Prime Minister Takaichi's appointment of Representative Koichi Hagiuda, who was involved in the LDP's "slush fund scandal," as acting secretary-general of the party, 70.2% said it was "inappropriate."

Party support rates were highest in the order of LDP at 31.4%, Democratic Party for the People at 8.8%, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan at 8.4%, Japan Innovation Party at 8.3%, and Reiwa Shinsengumi at 6.8%.

Yonhap News Agency