Press Conference by Minister Saito (Excerpt)

*Note: This is a provisional translation for reference purposes only.

9:48 to 9:58 a.m.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Press Conference Room, METI Main Building

Opening Remarks

Regional demonstration test for creation of local-zebra companies

To begin, I would like to mention one point.
Local-zebra companies, which aim to strike a balance between solving social challenges and achieving economic growth, are small and medium-sized enterprises that have the potential to become new leaders in regional economies by transforming social challenges into growth engines. In March, we announced the basic policy for creating and developing local-zebra companies.
At this time, we will launch demonstration test projects in 20 regions that serve as advanced model cases of creating and developing local-zebra companies. Through the demonstration test projects, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will establish a method of evaluating the social impacts that the local zebra companies have on the community, which will encourage local business partnerships and impact investment and eligibility for loans. METI will work towards establishing the ecosystem through the demonstration test projects.
The administrative staff will provide further details in a briefing later.
I will end my remarks here.

Question-and-Answer Session

Jet fuels

Q: I would like to ask you about the situation related to securing aviation fuel. In some cases, it has become difficult to secure aviation fuels. There has been talk about the increased difficulty of opening new routes or increasing flights, for example. Please tell me about the government’s perception of the current situation and future actions from the viewpoint of securing fuel.

A: Of course, I am aware that there have been cases where foreign air carriers have given up on opening new routes or increasing flights because they are unable to refuel at Japanese airports.
I understand that actions have been taken to secure the necessary amount of jet fuel on a country-wide basis in Japan. Having said that, I recognize that the recent supply shortages are due to various factors, including the capacity of transport by coastal tankers and supply capacity at airports.
Therefore, METI and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism held a meeting of oil distributors, air carriers, and airport operating companies in March this year. Since then, in close cooperation with relevant companies, we are studying the current situation, including circumstances of various regions, and are considering which measures to take.
We will act promptly to realize a smooth supply of jet fuel in cooperation with the relevant parties.