2 popular governors advise Aso on ways to revive economy

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TOKYO, March 20 Kyodo -
Two of Japan's most popular governors told Prime Minister Taro Aso that
reviving regional economies is crucial for the country's economic recovery at a
meeting Friday of an expert panel to explore ideas for overcoming the economic
crisis.
''I think public works projects are absolutely necessary,'' Osaka Gov. Toru
Hashimoto, a lawyer and former TV personality, said, stressing that
infrastructure in the Kansai region needs to be improved in order to increase
competitiveness and boost the region's economy.
Miyazaki Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru, a former TV entertainer, said the public's
lack of trust in and expectations for administration and politics poses the
biggest problem.
''The government needs to show that it will change the system,''
Higashikokubaru said, emphasizing the importance of developing human resources
and the need for public servants to become ''managers'' able to find ways to
raise funds.
In another meeting on employment, held prior to the meeting on local
governments and regional economies that was attended by the two governors, Aso
appeared to oppose banning the dispatch of temporary workers to the
manufacturing and other sectors.
''There are dispatched laborers all over the world and if we ban dispatched
laborers, (companies) will close down factories in Japan and go overseas,'' Aso
said.
After the two meetings, Aso told reporters they were ''very informative''
because he was able to hear opinions that were different to those he usually
hears.
''It is natural for each governor to face different issues depending on whether
they come from a big city, a less populated area or other regions, and it was
informative to hear each idea,'' Aso said.
The series of expert meetings began Monday, with 83 experts divided into groups
and taking part in 10 rounds of intensive discussions on themes such as
education, employment and social security. The meetings will conclude on
Saturday.
The government plans to reflect the experts' proposals in its additional
stimulus measures to be compiled by the government and the ruling parties if
the proposals are judged to be effective for reviving the economy.
==Kyodo
2009-03-20 21:18:13