[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the sixth Thematic Meeting of the Industrial Competitiveness Council at the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, discussion took place on the further adoption of ICT for the management of medical and nursing care information, the bill for the utilization of IT for the Social Security and Tax Number System, and the shift in industrial and hiring structures caused by AI and big data.

Based on the discussions, the Prime Minister said,

“In order to connect the wave of wage increases to the positive cycle of the economy brought about through an increase in productivity, we must advance the growth strategy of the Abe Cabinet to a new stage, one of positive investment in the future. The shifts in industrial society brought about by the utilization of data is an issue that will be central to the growth strategy.

The Government will thoroughly revise the regulations and systems that have inhibited the use of IT, and compile new legal frameworks. In principle, we will cause a shift in the principles of face-to-face and on-paper delivery that have existed up until now and utilize IT.

Along with that, we will realign every corner of society using the Social Security and Tax Number System that will commence in October. We will aim to expand the range of uses for the Social Security and Tax Number System from taxes and social security to household registration, passports, and the securities field in the future. We will advance digitization in one fell swoop.

In particular, in the medical field, we will establish a five-year intense reform period leading up to 2020. At hospitals and pharmacies across the country, we will be able to do away with the need to confirm health insurance and the filling out of complex forms by having people simply show a single individual identification number card. Additionally, through digitization, we will be able to integrate the pharmaceutical notebooks made by each pharmacy.

Also by 2020, we will increase the proliferation rate of electronic medical charts to over 90% at all major hospitals. By creating a network of major hospitals, clinics, and nursing care facilities in the regions, patients will be freed from receiving redundant examinations and prescriptions, and will be able to receive consistent medical and nursing care services.

I would like the relevant ministers to clarify the periods of implementation and exercise strong leadership so that concrete policies can be included in the growth strategy.”