Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a meeting of the Board of Councillors of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) held in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"I will bring back a strong Japan.
One year has passed since I made this promise to you here at the end of last year.
Thinking back, a dark and heavy cloud had covered the Japanese economy one year ago. The prolonged deflation, the excessive yen appreciation, and a late start to economic partnerships - it can be said that Japan had completely lost its confidence. 
One year has passed since then.
The past year has been marked by the 'three arrows' which are different from the past in both their scope and reach; the decision to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the consumption tax. Looking back, this year was a year full of tough decisions. 
Thanks to the 'three arrows,' the Japanese economy has made a significant shift from 'negative' to 'positive' growth.
One year ago, economists predicted that the Nikkei Stock Average would increase by 1,000 yen on average. However, it has increased by more than 5,000 yen in the past one year. Indeed, there was a fivefold increase.
In yesterday's Monthly Economic Report, the assessment was not a 'deflationary situation' for the first time in four years.
Recently, I understand that men's clothing are beginning to sell at department stores. I'm told that men's clothing are the first item that do not sell when the economy becomes stagnant. And it is men' clothing that is last to reflect economic recovery.
The Japanese economy is certainly beginning to show signs of promise.
We were able to make significant progress in achieving both fiscal rehabilitation and fiscal soundness. In next year's draft budget, we have been able to make a 5.2 trillion yen improvement in the primary balance. This is the second largest improvement in the last 25 years and since the first Abe administration. It significantly exceeds the 4 trillion yen margin of improvement necessary to halve the primary balance in FY2015.
Nevertheless, we are still only halfway towards exiting deflation and revitalizing the economy.
Next year, the Abe administration will once again make the economy our foremost priority.
We must not lose the opportunity to revitalize the economy because of the consumption tax increase. We have set aside 5.5 trillion yen in economic measures to minimize the impact of the tax increase, which are to be implemented at the beginning of next fiscal year. I will work to overcome the temporary negative impact to steadily set Japan's economy on a path back toward growth."