[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 10th meeting of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, discussion was held on the “Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan” and “formulation of The Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation 2015.” There was also a briefing and report on the “Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP).”

Based on the discussion in the meeting, the Prime Minister said,

“Today, we heard a report on the interim compilation of the ‘Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan’ for the following five years, and finalized ‘The Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation 2015’ for the next fiscal year. I would like us to now link these two tools and dynamically push forward with the Abe Cabinet’s science, technology, and innovation policy by capitalizing on the synergistic effects of both.

Over the past 10 years, starting with the young researchers facing difficulties, the frontlines of Japan’s research fields have weakened, causing our research capabilities to lag behind others. At the same time, with the acceleration of innovation and the evolution of the value creation process, the world has entered a very important period of innovation, which should be viewed as the fourth industrial revolution.

Therefore, I would like the three pillars of the Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan to be systemizing technologies for the future; breaking through the walls of vertically-segmented generation gaps, industry-academia-government bodies, sectors and national borders to respond to all change; and building an ecosystem for human resources, technologies and capital that can generate new businesses and revitalize regions in succession.

I ask that we continue to deepen discussions as we head toward the end of this year, and carry out further studies so that a specific path can be identified for investments in the future with the Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan.”