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 [Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the second meeting of the Council on the Promotion of the National Movement to Improve Productivity at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, reports were given on initiatives for the improvement of productivity.

Based on the discussions, the Prime Minister said,

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of the business operators for coming here today from all over Japan despite the very bad weather and your busy schedules.

Four and a half years have passed since the change of administration. The Abenomics economic policies we have been promoting are strongly advancing the exit from deflation and growth of the economy, and at the same time we are firmly working to create a society in which there are plenty of jobs available for those who want to work.

In connection to this, the ratio of job offers to job seekers has reached 1.0 or above in all 47 prefectures for the first time in history.

We have achieved this goal. However, at the same time, in order to spread throughout all of Japan the benefits of the economic policies that we are advancing, to aim for the realization of the dynamic engagement of all citizens, and to advance the vitalization of local economies, the improvement of the productivity of all the business operators who have gathered here today is absolutely essential.

With this background, I am truly delighted that so many of you are motivated and have attended today.

In the discussions today, we heard reports on initiatives in the truck transport, lodging, and nursing care fields, including a report that Hayakawa Marine and Trans Corporation in Yamanashi Prefecture has succeeded in achieving an improvement in labor productivity of 44 percent through the cooperation of its shippers. As a result of this, the daily on-duty hours of the company’s drivers have dropped by five and a half hours. This is a wonderful achievement.  

I would also like to express my thanks to all the shippers who cooperated with this. In order to achieve such a result, the cooperation of shippers is absolutely essential. Today we also heard the powerful statement of Chairman Sakakibara of Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation), which can be considered a “shipper,” that Japan’s business community will also provide its proactive cooperation.

In the fields of lodging and nursing care as well, there were presentations of wonderful examples of improvements in productivity of 10, 20, and 30 percent, by means of simple creative adjustments in workstyles, like the story of the simple but brilliant “egg of Columbus.” The key to improvement in productivity is surely personnel development.

I have set the next pillar of the Abe administration as “personnel development reforms.” From the daily efforts of all the members of the Council on the Promotion of the National Movement to Improve Productivity, I would like the points for success and the issues to be identified and actively incorporated in the Design Council to be launched this summer.

I believe that the ideas and strengths of everyone here who works in business environments will truly result in improved productivity throughout the whole of Japan.

Indeed, all of you present here today are truly partners who will carve out the future of Japan. I would like to work with you, and ask for your ongoing cooperation.”