Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the eighth meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy at the Prime Minister's Office.

Discussion took place "toward the construction of a market economy system to realize sustainable growth."

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

"The Abe Administration makes a rigorous distinction between goals and measures.
If I were to say why we will create a strong economy, our goals are to make people feel glad to have been born in Japan, to feel that the Japanese people are prosperous, and, along with feeling glad at having been born in Japan, to feel pride for Japan. Since ancient times, we have had a tradition of waking up early in the morning, working hard to cultivate the fields, sharing water, and when autumn comes, together with the Imperial Household, praying for a huge harvest for all. We are a country in which people help each other by taking rice to those who are troubled with illness. I believe that this is because Japan is 'a land blessed with rice.'
And in this context, we will participate in the TPP, and I hope that Japan will triumph within a truly global economy and community.
The global community and economy present us with tremendous possibilities. At the same time, within the global community and economy there also exist 'unruly spirits.' In this context, I believe that the extent to which we move forward with a top caliber, global economy and community depends on the creation of rules. I think Japan should diffuse its own ideas within the rule creation process. And, in this context, Japan has a beautiful national character that might be absorbed in the global economy and community. I believe that what both sides must share is, after all, philosophy. This is what I think. Truly, while prioritizing free competition and open markets, we will emphasize morals, know true prosperity, and pursue ideals for a Japanese style market philosophy and capitalism. These will be incorporated into the world's rules. I believe that we should work to diffuse the philosophy that we have confidence in and the necessary rules to the world.
In that sense, I felt that the content of the remarks made today by Mr. Hara, who has been greatly successful in the United States, the country with the least amount of regulations in the global community and economy, were very persuasive, as would be expected of him.
Today we approved the establishment of a task force. I want to quickly settle on the force, and have it debate the form of market economy that we should aim for and that we can be proud of. And I ask for everyone's cooperation as I hope for the content of that debate to be truly diffused to the world through summit meetings, G20 meetings, and so on."