Key Facts
• August 26, 2025: National Governors’ Association meeting held in Tokyo.
• Shuichi Abe, Nagano Governor, elected as new chair, first from Nagano.
• Abe’s slogan: “Driving Japan from the Ground Level.”
• 47 governors attended the meeting to elect the new chair.
• Abe aims to strengthen policy proposal functions of the association.
• Prior chair, Yoshihiro Murai of Miyagi, focused on disaster response.
• Abe highlighted issues like population decline, local governance, and gender equality.
• Plans to collaborate with political and economic organizations.
• Abe emphasized the need for long-term perspectives in policy-making.
• Term as chair begins September 3, 2025, lasting two years.
Summary
Shuichi Abe, Governor of Nagano Prefecture, has been elected as the new chair of the National Governors’ Association, marking the first time a Nagano governor has held this position. The election took place during a meeting in Tokyo attended by governors from all 47 prefectures. Abe’s leadership will focus on the slogan “Driving Japan from the Ground Level,” aiming to enhance the association’s policy proposal capabilities. Key priorities include addressing population decline, local governance, and gender equality, with plans to collaborate with political and economic entities. Abe stressed the importance of adopting long-term perspectives in policy-making to counteract Japan’s tendency toward short-term solutions. His two-year term begins on September 3, 2025.
