Policy Speech by the Governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, at the Second Regular Session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, 2014
3.Closing Remarks
(A long-term vision and sound fiscal management)
Formulating a long-term vision
Centering on the policies presented here, my public pledges that can be implemented now will be implemented, and new ideas that have emerged from the actual site of operations will be polished into feasible policies. These policies will be compiled and announced as a long-term vision within this year. In September, an interim report clarifying the future vision for Tokyo and policy objectives will be released to serve as a basis for discussions with you, the members of the Tokyo Assembly, and to hear the opinions of our citizens and municipalities. These views will then be reflected in the final vision.
I believe that the role of a political leader is to draw a vision of hopes and dreams, and to deliver a promising and persuasive message to the public. I will reveal what we envisage Tokyo to be at the time of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and in 2024, 10 years from now. I promise to provide numerical targets to all extent possible, as well as a concrete timetable for the solution of problems. Furthermore, I plan to govern Tokyo’s affairs by looking not only at the numbers, but by also considering the feelings of the people behind those numbers and empathizing with their joys and pains.
Sound fiscal management
At the same time I realize that implementing the vision will not be possible without sound finances. Metropolitan tax revenue, the main pillar of Tokyo’s revenues, is easily swayed by the economy. Furthermore, Tokyo is not a recipient of local allocation tax. As such, Tokyo needs greater autonomy in financial management than other local governments. I am determined to firmly steer Tokyo’s finances so that we can boldly tackle the problems confronting our city.
We must be cautious about moves by the central government to take away further revenues from Tokyo centering around local taxes on corporations. Working closely with the members of this assembly I will dedicate my efforts to not only urging the central government to retract its irrational interim measure on local corporate enterprise tax and return this revenue to Tokyo, but to also opposing the government in its plan to adjust uneven distribution of revenues among local governments through measures that take direct aim at the financial resources of cities, such as the local corporate tax.
The Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy is now deliberating the optimal effective corporate tax rate. Lowering this rate is expected to improve Japan’s international competitiveness. Meanwhile, local taxes on corporations are imposed to have corporations shoulder a fair share of the burden of finances needed for administrative services that support corporate activities, and are indispensable as a key item of taxation for local governments. If this tax rate is lowered, we, along with other local governments, will urge the national government to take measures such as securing alternative revenue sources so that this will not impact the revenues of all local governments.
(Main bills and proposals)
I would like to now speak about the main bills and proposals we are making at this regular assembly session.
The “Ordinance to Promote Measures for Prevention of Bullying” will prevent bullying by building a system for close cooperation between schools, school boards, child guidance centers, the police and other relevant parties, and a system for investigating serious cases. Bullying significantly impacts a child’s sound growth and character formation. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Comprehensive Child and Family Services Center. I wish to tackle this issue as a responsibility of not just the schools and guardians, but of society as a whole.
We have also presented a revised budget bill for our electricity business account. This involves the matter of civil conciliation over our cancellation of the contract to sell electric power generated from our hydropower stations in Okutama and Ome to the Tokyo Electric Power Company. This is an issue that has been pending since the previous administration. We would like to reconcile with TEPCO based on the court’s proposal for settlement. Your positive deliberation will be highly appreciated.
(New system to make Tokyo the world’s best city)
While steering the affairs of the Tokyo metropolitan government, I became keenly aware of the fact that transforming Tokyo into the best city in the world would be highly unlikely without changing the organizational climate entrenched in the office and bolstering functions supporting the governor. Therefore, at this regular session of the assembly I am proposing an amendment to the organization ordinance in order to renew Tokyo’s central command system. This will abolish the current Headquarters of the Governor and replace it with my policy planning office. With my newly appointed assistants playing a central role, a system will be built where this huge organization with its 165,000 public employees is effectively put into motion from an overall perspective of metropolitan affairs.
Through this organizational change I wish to transform the metropolitan government into a powerful organization that can aggressively take on difficult issues and develop completely new policies. At the same time, by making it possible for us to closely watch over the overall situation, we will strive to maintain even better communications with you, the members of the assembly. I hope we can then join hands to surge ahead to making Tokyo the best city in the world. Your understanding and cooperation will be very much appreciated.
Finally, I would like to say a few words about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Four months have passed since I assumed office. Soon after my inauguration I inspected the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, participated in the IOC project review, and visited Beijing. These opportunities allowed me to think about how we should realize our plans for the Games from my position as the leader of the host city. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are more than just a major international sporting event. It is a monumental event that also brings dramatic change to the society and culture of the host city. That is why we need to prepare for the Games with a sound vision that will not only ensure the success of this event, but will also leave Tokyo with both tangible and intangible legacies and improve the lives of our citizens.
In the formulation of the basic plan for hosting the Games, I will reconsider the content of the venue plan prepared for the bid from my own vantage point as governor so that we can obtain the understanding of our citizens for its realization. For example, our bid plan included the building of 10 new venues in Tokyo but I need to ascertain the practical relevance of the plans, such as what kind of legacy these venues can leave in Tokyo after the Games, and how they will broadly effect the lives of our citizens. We must also address concerns about surging construction costs such as higher construction materials and labor costs. We will conduct a review immediately from such perspectives, and then appropriately and promptly revise what needs to be revised so that our preparations for the Games are not hindered.
After several recent discussions from this kind of standpoint with Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, we reached the conclusion that the overall plan for the venues should also be reviewed. The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government would like to cooperate closely and move forward with the re-examination of the plan.
Under the concept of safe and sure delivery of an “athletes first” Games, Tokyo won the honor of hosting the 2020 Games in a highly competitive race. During this re-examination of plans with the organising committee, we will hold sincere discussions with the IOC and sports federations both inside and outside Japan. We are determined to realize the principles presented during the bidding stage and bring about the greatest Games ever.
Including the matters to which I have already referred, a total of 22 proposals have been presented to this regular session of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, including one budget bill and 11 proposed ordinances to be deliberated among the Assembly members.
This concludes my policy address to the Assembly. Thank you.
