[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the joint 10th meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy in 2017 and the 10th meeting of the Council on Investments for the Future, at the Prime Minister's Office.

At the meeting, discussion was held on the draft Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2017, and the draft Investments for the Future Strategy 2017.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

"I want to thank you all sincerely for compiling the Basic Policies 2017 and the Investments for the Future Strategy 2017 today.

Thanks to the initiatives of Abenomics over the last four and a half years, Japan's GDP is at the highest level ever. Employment, which is closely intertwined with the lifestyles of the people, has improved tremendously, and the trend of wage increases continues. In order to further accelerate this momentum and expand the positive cycle of growth and distribution, we will work to improve productivity through investments into human resources, in addition to the implementation of work style reform. We will also work to realize Society 5.0, which will resolve social challenges by incorporating innovation into all industries and aspects of daily life. We will steadily develop the needed initiatives to that end.

The Basic Policies and the Investments for the Future Strategy will be approved at the Cabinet meeting following this meeting. I would like to ask Minister Ishihara to cooperate with relevant ministers for the immediate implementation of the Basic Policies and the Investments for the Future Strategy.

I would like to once again extend my gratitude to the council members for their significant efforts, and request your continued cooperation towards the realization of a society in which all citizens are dynamically engaged."