Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicked off the extraordinary Diet session Monday by delivering a key policy speech in which he pledged to prop up declining provincial economies, while apparently signaling his willingness to improve relations with China.

Abe devoted most of his speech to discussing various ideas to help rural areas suffering from depopulation ahead of nationwide local elections next spring.

Abe's Liberal Democratic Party is also facing gubernatorial elections in Fukushima Prefecture next month and Okinawa Prefecture in November.