Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the Meeting of the Government and Ruling Parties at the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, discussion was held on the FY2015 budget.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said in his address,

“The purpose of the FY2015 budget is to achieve both economic revitalization and fiscal soundness, alongside our economic measures and the FY2015 taxation system reform.

Following on from the already completed economic measures, and the FY2014 supplementary budget, this tremendous budget has been formulated in a short period of time. I would like to again offer my sincerest appreciation for the extensive cooperation of everyone in the ruling parties.

In this budget, we have made every effort to support the creation of prosperous, bright and vital local communities, and we have improved social security, such as childcare support, to the greatest extent possible. At the same time, for the first time in the eight years since the initial budget of the Abe Administration for FY2007, we have reduced the issuance of national bonds by over 4 trillion yen, bringing the amount issued down to the level of 30 trillion yen for the first time in the six years since the initial budget for FY2009. We need to review this further in considering issues such as the amount of bonds issued by regions. At the current moment in time, however, I expect that we will achieve the FY2015 fiscal soundness targets.

We must achieve both economic revitalization and fiscal soundness. I am confident that this is the only path forward. During the next regular session of the Diet, I would like for a positive cycle of the economy to be more firmly established, and for the effects of Abenomics on regional communities to be more widely realized, by passing both this budget and the FY2014 supplementary budget as soon as possible. I ask for the continued cooperation of everyone in the ruling parties for achieving this. Thank you very much.”