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On November 20, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 14th meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy in 2018 at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, a discussion was held on future economic and fiscal management, as well as local public administration and finance, and social security, two of the thematic topics of the Integrated Economic and Fiscal Reforms.
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Today, we first held an intensive discussion on future economic and fiscal management. As we discussed at the previous meeting, despite the sound fundamentals of the Japanese economy, we need to carefully monitor the future outlook of the global economy and firmly sustain the recovery trend of the economy, in advance of the raising of the consumption tax rate next year. Taking these circumstances into consideration, I have today instructed that the second supplementary budget be formulated. I also plan to incorporate sufficient consumption tax-related countermeasures into the initial budget for the next fiscal year.
 
I would like Minister Motegi to take firm measures based on today’s discussions to reinforce the current economic recovery and realize sustainable economic growth by enhancing our growth potential through means such as improvements in productivity, investment in human resources and the building of national resilience.
 
With regard to local public administration and finance, amid the progression of the declining population and the aging of society, it is important to make the transition to a sustainable system. In this respect, I would like Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Ishida, together with the relevant ministries and agencies, to take proactive steps toward expanding the coverage of public services, and extending the digital transformation of local public administration across the whole of Japan.  
 
The key to resolving the challenges faced by the regions lies in utilizing private-sector funds and knowhow for public services. I would like to ask Minister of State for Regional Revitalization Katayama to take proactive measures toward regional revitalization based on today’s proposals.  
 
With regard to social security, in addition to formulating the budget for next fiscal year in line with the New Plan to Advance Economic and Fiscal Revitalization, I would like Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Nemoto to steadily advance measures of immediate priority including preventative care and health promotion, through visualizing ongoing initiatives and their results, setting KPIs, and collaboration among insurance companies, and other means. Minister Nemoto has also swiftly reviewed career development subsidies. I ask for his continued efforts in spreading and promoting the system so that it is utilized more broadly.”