Disaster areas considered for deregulation zones in Japan

May 22, 2017

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he will consider adding disaster-affected areas to the national strategic special zones, to support the creation of new industries and revitalize tourism by experiments in the regions. "We will actively consider disaster-stricken areas" for additional designations of deregulation districts expected for this year, Abe told a meeting of the Council on National Strategic Special Zones. The prime minister appeared to refer to areas damaged by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, mainly Tohoku northeastern prefectures, as well as areas hit by the April 2016 earthquakes in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto and surrounding areas. (Jiji Press)