7. For a Tokyo that embraces diversity and where everyone shines

We will continue to advance measures focusing on “people” to achieve a Tokyo where each and every person can shine in their own special way.

Building an inclusive society where everyone is respected

In order to deepen understanding among the citizens and businesses of Tokyo about people with disabilities so that we can achieve a society that is mutually beneficial to all, we have submitted to this assembly a proposal for an ordinance to promote understanding toward the disabled and eliminate discrimination. It goes one step further than current legislation, such as making it obligatory for businesses to provide reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Along with this, we wish to work with the citizens of Tokyo to build a society where disabled people can lead more comfortable lives by advancing the provision of various information through conversation in writing, braille, and text-to-speech, and making efforts to spread the use of sign language.

In addition, from the perspective of realizing a society where everyone accepts each other, it is crucial to address discrimination against LGBT and other gender minorities, hate speech, and other new human rights issues.
The Olympic Charter calls for respecting human rights, which does not allow for any kind of discrimination. The Tokyo government has formulated the outline of a proposed ordinance to achieve this. It sets down the measures necessary to eliminate discrimination concerning matters such as gender identity and sexual orientation, and hate speech. With the aim of proposing this ordinance at the third regular session of the assembly, the contents will be reviewed while also taking in the views of our citizens.

Today, the US-North Korea summit is being held for the first time in history. Along with holding expectations that this conference will lead to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, such as by sweeping away nuclear and missile threats, the TMG will firmly raise its voice together with the national government with regard to the kidnapping of Japanese citizens by North Korea, which is a serious violation of human rights.

A society where the joy of having and raising children can be felt

The measures we have been taking to address the daycare waitlist situation in order to build a society where women and men can shine both at raising children and at work, are steadily bearing fruit. For example, as an emergency measure I took immediately after taking office, we launched a system for leasing metropolitan government-owned land to daycare center operators through the municipal government offices, and this April, four centers opened, including a facility in Taito-ku, which was the first to use this system. Company daycare facilities, where we are subsidizing some of the costs of equipment purchased at the time of opening, are also spreading rapidly.

In addition to promoting the building of daycare facilities, we have been implementing various measures such as securing and retaining personnel and enhancing support to users. As a result, the number of waitlisted children in Tokyo as of April 1 this year was about 3,100 less than last year, with the waitlist expected to drop below 5,500 children. In the last fiscal year, the number of authorized daycare centers in Tokyo increased by about 250. We believe that full cooperation with the municipalities led to such good outcomes. We will continue to aggressively advance these initiatives, and along with these efforts, we will begin providing support for employed people to balance work and fertility treatment in order to provide even more detailed support to those who wish to have children. This is a program based on a proposal from the public. In this way, we will extensively roll out policies to achieve a society where people can find joy in work as well as joy in raising children.

Meanwhile, however, there was a very heartbreaking incident recently where a young child lost her life due to abuse from her parents. May she rest in peace. Based on this incident, it has been decided that the organization of the child guidance offices will be bolstered and the range of information shared with the Metropolitan Police Department will be expanded. I will also visit the Child Guidance Office, perhaps tomorrow, and while firmly grasping the situation on the ground, all of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will come together to rapidly strengthen the child guidance system.

Raise abilities in children to brighten their lives

In order to cultivate abilities in children to broadly unfurl their potentials in a globalized society and brighten their lives, we will accelerate international exchange in schools. In the Global Friendship Project, which is underway in public schools in Tokyo for students to learn about the countries and regions scheduled to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Games, initiatives in cooperation with embassies in Tokyo have also begun. As one facet of such activities, the other day, US Ambassador William F. Hagerty and I participated in the sports festival of an elementary school in Meguro-ku and deepened exchange with the school children. Through a variety of activities, we will strive to bring the world closer to our children and deepen their understanding.

Last month, we designated 15 metropolitan schools that are energetically engaging in overseas exchange as “leading schools for international exchange.” Along with working to broadly publicize the activities of each of these leading schools, we will strive to realize various kinds of international exchange at all of the public schools in Tokyo by 2020. This includes establishing an “international exchange concierge” to provide one-stop support to schools for the promotion of exchange.

Regarding metropolitan agricultural high schools, we will work to have them receive GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) certification, which is proof of safety. By having high school students study matters such as food safety and environmental conservation, we will raise personnel for better urban agriculture, and through certification, we will aim to use the produce from these schools as ingredients for food served at the 2020 Games.

For GAP certification, from this April, we have also launched the operation of our own certification system that takes in the distinctive features of urban agriculture. So that many farmers in Tokyo can acquire this certification, we will provide detailed support for promotion of sustainable Tokyo agriculture that is safe and eco-friendly.

Securing safety and security that lay the foundation for everyone to shine

Revision of the Regional Disaster Management Plan (Earthquake Version)

Securing safety and peace of mind, which are essential for building a society where the people shine, will also be steadily advanced. The earthquake version of the Regional Disaster Management Plan, which sets down disaster mitigation, response, and restoration measures, has been revised over the recent years to reflect lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake and damage projections for a Nankai Trough Earthquake and other major earthquakes. We will make more revisions to this based on changes in the situation, such as the occurrence of the Kumamoto Earthquake, and the latest knowledge gained in order to enhance the efficacy of the measures. We will work ceaselessly to set into place an infallible system that will make Tokyo a city full of vitality where everyone can live with a sense of security.

For safe and pleasant town development

With regard to the removal of utility poles with the goal of bolstering the disaster mitigation functions of the city and securing safer pedestrian spaces, based on the ordinance we formulated a plan that sets down policies and goals for the next 10 years. Along with expanding the priority area for removal along metropolitan roads to encompass the area within Ring Road No. 7, it includes measures to accelerate removal, such as reducing construction costs by one-third through technological developments.  Going forward, we will not just limit this to metropolitan roads, but will select specific areas for development along municipal roads to promote efforts throughout the metropolis.

In districts with close-set wooden houses, along with continuing to advance the formation of fire breaks, through the development of attractive relocation sites leveraging private sector ideas, we will further advance the formation of towns that do not burn. In addition, not only will we work to remove vacant houses that may have serious impacts in their communities in the event of a disaster, but with regard to old condominiums, we will set up measures to promote proper maintenance by strengthening the functions of condominium owner associations, with the establishment of an ordinance also in mind. In this way, we will hold a broad perspective in advancing the development of safe and pleasant communities.

Promoting the use of liquid baby formula

In March the national government launched procedures to establish regulatory standards for liquid baby formula, taking the first big step toward its domestic circulation. We have been saying from before that liquid baby formula would be useful in a disaster. I also met with Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Kato the other day to strongly request measures for its early use. We also recently reached an understanding with a private business to conclude an agreement for the urgent and smooth procurement of liquid baby formula from overseas in the time of a disaster. We will continue to deepen collaboration with the national government and relevant organizations so that this milk, which can be stored at room temperatures and can help reduce childcare burdens, will help Tokyo citizens to feel even safer.