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On October 22, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 20th meeting of the Council on Investments for the Future at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, a discussion was held on promoting employment of elderly persons, expanding mid-career recruitment, and reviewing the traditional recruiting practice of periodically hiring new college graduates, as well as on disease prevention and preventative nursing care.
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Today, we held a discussion on the reform of the social security system oriented to all generations, which the Abe Cabinet has raised as its greatest challenge.
 
To begin with, on raising the age limit to over 65 years old for continued employment, I would like to proceed with this matter to secure employment opportunities for the elderly until they reach 70 years of age and allow various options so as to accommodate their preferences and characteristics.
 
I would also like to proceed with this matter to determine the overall policy direction on the details of the system with the action plan to be approved by next summer and submit a bill to the Diet as soon as possible after deliberations at the Labor Policy Council. I would like the relevant ministers including Minister Motegi and Minister Nemoto to advance the necessary reviews with this goal in mind.
 
With regard to expanding hiring experienced workers, or mid-career recruitment, and reviewing the traditional recruiting practice of periodically hiring fresh college graduates, we need companies to reconsider their evaluation and remuneration systems. In addition to the Government’s request to major corporations to disclose information about the ratio of mid-career recruitment, I will personally take the lead in establishing a council inviting major corporations that are dedicated to expanding mid-career hires, with the aim of further catalyzing this movement. While working on this, I would also like to deal with various issues, including the impacts to small and medium-size enterprises caused by the expansion of mid-career recruitment by major corporations, regarding which various views were proposed. Therefore, I ask for the cooperation and support of the business community.
 
Furthermore, with regard to the prevention of diseases, we will consider enhancing significantly the incentives for insurers by reviewing the current scheme to support the self-initiated efforts of insurers under the National Health Insurance System and the arrangement to adjust financial support for the latter-stage elderly by Health Insurance Societies. In the area of preventative nursing care, we aim to strengthen incentive measures for nursing care business operators and others. We have been discussing these two topics for quite some time now. 20 years ago, I was involved with the work of the Social Policy Division of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and compiled a series of recommendations. Things, however, remain unchanged even now. At long last, we are close to actually realizing these proposals. I believe this is something we must accomplish and I ask the relevant ministers to continue advancing reviews with a view to compiling the interim report at the end of the year.”