Top > Speeches and Statements by Prime Minister

An amendment to the National Pension Act, which raises the proportion of contributions from the national treasury to the Basic National Pension Scheme [from about one third] to one half of all contributions, was enacted today. This reform measure was indispensable in order to limit the burden which has to be borne by the younger generation due to increases in national pension premiums and to make the pension system sustainable, amidst a declining birthrate and an ageing population in Japan whose levels are unprecedented in the world. Raising contributions from the national treasury had been an issue for the past fifteen years. In particular, a public commitment had been made to do this by the present fiscal year when the National Pension Act was amended five years ago. Now this commitment has finally been fulfilled. As a result, a balance in the levels of benefits from, and of contributions to the pension system is ensured over the long term. We will from now address challenges including those of people with no pensions at all or whose benefit levels are low. We will thus strive to build a robust pension system which gives peace of mind to the public.