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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the fifth meeting of the Council on Investments for the Future at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, debate took place on the agenda aimed at promoting the fourth industrial revolution, and mobility revolution led by automated driving.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Today, we received proposals from private-sector members on ways to promote the fourth industrial revolution.

A command center principally comprised of private-sector experts will be set up at the IT Strategic Headquarters before the end of this fiscal year, so that diverse sources of big data can be utilized across different fields under a common mechanism.

To quickly train and secure human resources in IT, which is expected to see major shortages across many different fields, we will reinforce further learning for working professionals through assistance provided to individuals.

By 2020, automated driving that does not require drivers will help overcome personnel shortages regionally as well as mobility problems. We have compiled an action plan for realizing these targets which were decided at a public-private dialogue held a little over a year ago.

Starting next fiscal year, two types of trials will be conducted on public roads. The first trial will take place on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, where a lead truck operated by a driver will be followed by a fully automated truck without a driver. The second trial will involve the remote controlled operation of driverless buses and taxis in 10 locations selected through a nationwide public solicitation.

The systems and infrastructure needed to make these feasible will be developed using National Strategic Special Zones and other initiatives, which will lead to the eventual commercialization of automated driving.

We will create a collaborative structure for public-private dialogue and cooperation under the IT Strategic Headquarters so that the results of various trial runs can be aggregated to carry out focused studies on the feasibility of institutional reform based on new technologies.

I ask that relevant ministers work together to quickly crystallize the matters I have talked about here.”