Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will consider various measures to prevent traffic accidents involving elderly drivers, including the introduction of a new driver’s license category with limiting conditions, National Public Safety Commission Chairman Ryota Takeda has said.

“Many kinds of measures will be needed to prevent accidents as the number of elderly people with a driver’s license will increase further,” Takeda said in a recent interview with media organizations including Jiji Press.

Takeda said that the idea of introducing the new license category is worth considering, while suggesting that establishing a system to confirm levels of driving skills is at least necessary.

On road rage cases, Takeda said such acts are “too dangerous and inexcusable,” adding that “it is most important to take administrative measures swiftly and actively.”

The government will address the issue while considering reviews of regulations, including stricter penalties, in the future, he said.

To tackle child abuse, “close cooperation with child consultation centers is absolutely necessary to secure children’s safety,” Takeda said.

The government will take firm measures under the revised child welfare-related law enacted last June, he added.

The chairman also showed determination to enhance efforts to prevent and crack down on so-called special fraud cases, in which elderly people are the main targets.

“It is important to provide plentiful information and keep calling for attention since new ways of committing such crimes may be invented one after another,” he said.

The government will work with business operators and SOS47, a project team established by Japanese actor Ryotaro Sugi, the National Police Agency and others, to tackle such fraud, Takeda said.

On measures to secure safety during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Takeda said that cooperation from foreign  organizations is necessary.

“Japan cannot fight terrorism alone. We need to exchange information with overseas security and intelligence organizations for precise analysis and responses,” he said.

Also pointing to a need for border and cyber measures, Takeda said, “Japan will do everything to fulfill its responsibilities as the host country.”