Ishiba vows to set up council for regional revitalisation

He hopes to include the plan, unveiled in talks with reporters during his visit to Maebashi, the capital of Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in a basic concept of his signature "Regional Revitalisation 2.0" program.

The envisaged council will be directly supervised by Ishiba, according to the prime minister. The basic concept is expected to be compiled this summer.

"We'll consider the possibility of revising related laws while learning from the efforts being made in Maebashi", to help accelerate community building through public-private cooperation, Ishiba said.

In Maebashi, Ishiba visited Jins Park, a regional interaction hub, which also includes an eyeglasses store.

At the complex, set up by Japanese eyeglasses store chain Jins Holdings Inc., the prime minister tried on Jins brand glasses and tasted pastries sold at the facility. He smiled and said, "This is a very nice facility."

Jins Holdings has built a new office in Maebashi, using the government's tax incentive program designed to facilitate business relocations to rural areas as part of regional revitalisation.

Ishiba also held talks with Jins founder Hitoshi Tanaka and others, and visited a shopping district in the city.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]