Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a New Year party hosted by the Japan Association of New Economy (JANE) held in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

"Happy New Year everyone. I am sincerely pleased to see this New Year party hosted by JANE draw so many people and be held with such energy and grandeur.
In the Industrial Competitiveness Council, members of JANE, such as Mr. Mikitani, and Mr. Kanemaru, have challenged bedrock regulations and provided us with many ideas. The Industrial Competitiveness Council truly played a large role in the success of Abenomics.
Two years ago when my administration took back power, it honestly felt like we were taking the pitcher's mound with the bases loaded and no outs. I believe that at such times, we have no choice but to throw the pitches we trust right down the middle as hard as we can. It is with that attitude that I hope to thoroughly advance our growth strategy. In terms of rectifying bedrock regulations, with which we have been receiving your assistance, in the IT field as well we have decided to make thorough use of IT to address the principles of face-to-face and on-paper delivery that have existed to date. In the medical field, medical care, nursing care or health management that incorporates exercise have had to be managed separately, which has resulted in separate corporations, medical corporations, and social welfare corporations. Instead, I believe it will become possible to create a holding company that consolidates all of these within the same organization. In doing so, this will create a great business opportunity, one that will also be a driving force for growth. I hope that this will be a major boon for the welfare of the Japanese people and their health management as well.
Moreover, in the agricultural industry, we have produced results for a significant reform, in which Mr. Kanemaru has played a central role. We will revise the policy of reducing the acreage of rice cultivation known as the 'gentan' system, which has continued to exist for all of 40 years. While this could not have been considered a growth sector in the past, I believe now we can expect it to turn into one.
The Olympic Games will come to Tokyo in 2020. When the first Tokyo Olympics were held in 1964, every Japanese person was filled with a sense of vitality in the buildup to the Games. It was an era in which many young and energetic entrepreneurs enhanced the growth of society even further, created jobs, and increased employee wages. I have great expectations that JANE will help bring us back to that era once again. I would like to ask you in particular to break down the many barriers that exist in Japan and continue to contribute to making this a country that shines on the world stage. In closing, I would like to request the members of JANE to continue to craft ideas that will fill us all with new dreams and hopes, and I pray that 2014 will be a very special year for all you."