Reform Menu in National Strategic Special Zones

* Written by Eiji HARA, PPPC President

 The government is nearing the final stage of discussions on the

deregulatory reforms to be undertaken in the National Strategic

Special Zones toward the autumn Diet session. To submit a bill in the

next extraordinary session, the government needs to finalize the idea

within this week to start drafting the bill.

 In a meeting of the Industrial Competitiveness Council on September

20, Tatsuo Hatta, chairman of the Working Group on the National

Strategic Special Zones, and Heizo Takenaka, member of the Council,

proposed the following 15 items as challenges which must be tackled

immediately.

1.Urban Planning

・Relaxation of the floor-area-ratio restriction

・Improvement of are management

・Admission of using residential apartments for accommodations

2.Medical Care

・Acceptance of foreign doctors and nurses in medical centers

・Relaxation of the bed-number regulation

・Admission of using the drugs and medical devices accepted in foreign

  countries

・New medical schools tied-up with medical centers

3.Labor

・Exceptional measures to start-up companies and foreign companies

  regarding the dismissal rule, fixed-term employment rule, white

  collar exemptions.

4.Education

・Admission of public schools to be managed by private organizations

5.Agriculture

・Reallocation of authority among mayors and agricultural affairs

  committees

・Application of credit loans to small- and middle-sized corporations

  to farmers

・Reconsideration of conditions to be qualified as agricultural

  product corporations

・Admission of managing restaurants in farmlands

6.Local Assembly

・Lowering the minimum age to run for local assembly elections

7.Tourism

・Admission of using historical houses for accommodations

 It is critically important how much breakthroughs can be made toward

the “bedrock” regulations as start-up menu in starting the new

Special Zones. A member of the Industrial Competitiveness Council in

the meeting on September 20 insisted that “all the15 items should be

implemented”.

 How much result can be obtained? The answer depends on the efforts

within a few days.