Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the New Year Party for Members of the Japan National Press Club held in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"I stated in my address last year that a robust Japanese economy will be restored, and that the three arrows will manage to once again turn Japan into a dynamic country. I'm pleased to say the stock prices have increased, and the economy is improving both on the income and employment fronts. In this sense, this year will be even more of a real test.
Now we have to create a positive cycle of the economy. Improvements in corporate profits will lead to increases in wages. In turn, increases in wages will lead to further increases in consumption, and increases in consumption will lead to improvements in profits, as well as to capital investments and to further increases in wages. The challenge for this year is whether we will be able to create this positive cycle of the economy over the course of the year.
I will work to achieve both economic growth and fiscal soundness simultaneously. Furthermore, I am convinced that creating a positive cycle of the economy is the only path for achieving these two things simultaneously. This year, I will continue to move forward along this path without wavering to restore a robust economy."