[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the fourth meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy in 2017 at the Prime Minister's Office.

At the meeting, there was a discussion on the formulation of the Basic Policies for 2017.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Today, we commenced discussions towards formulating the Basic Policies for 2017. Private-sector members recommended that the fundamental concept throughout the Basic Policies should be raising socioeconomic productivity through investments in human resources, in order to increase the latent growth rate of Japan’s economy through the realization of a super-smart society (Society 5.0) and the creation of innovation. Furthermore, they recommended that we promote comprehensive measures under this overarching policy.

The Abe Cabinet has made progress in the creation of a society with the dynamic engagement of all citizens and work-style reform. We now intend to further deepen discussions, with a focus on raising productivity through investments in human resources centered on the growth strategy.”