Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has started the new extraordinary session of the Diet by stressing that he intends to achieve a consensus with opposition parties. He needs to secure wider support after the ruling coalition lost its majority in last month’s Lower House election.

In his policy speech on Friday, Ishiba said the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito will carefully listen to opinions from other parties, and sincerely and humbly work to form as broad a consensus as possible to protect the safety and security of the people.

On diplomacy and national security, Ishiba said the government will hold dialogue with other countries to maintain a rules-based international order.

He expressed willingness to hold frank discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump. Ishiba says he wants to raise the countries’ alliance to a higher level.

He also pledged to dramatically improve Japan’s ties with South Korea by frequently holding summit talks. The countries will mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

As for China, Ishiba says the government will try to communicate with the country on every level to build what he calls constructive and stable relations.

Ishiba denounced North Korea’s abductions of Japanese citizens as a violation of national sovereignty, and said resolving the issue is the government’s top priority.

He also pledged a shift to a growth-oriented economy driven by wage hikes and investment.

The ruling and opposition blocs have been discussing whether to raise the threshold for income tax to encourage people to increase their take-home pay by working more.

At present, part-time workers have to pay income tax when their annual income exceeds 1.03 million yen, or roughly 6,900 dollars.

Ishiba said the so-called “1.03 million yen wall” will be discussed and raised as part of tax reforms in fiscal 2025.

Some local governments oppose raising the threshold, because it would lead to lower tax revenues.

As for political reforms in the wake of the LDP’s money scandals, Ishiba said the government will go back to the starting point of “politics is for the people.”

Ishiba concluded his speech by saying that support from the public boosts diplomacy and domestic politics more than anything else. He said the government will work with honesty and sincerity to win people’s trust.