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National Commission on Social Security
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The Prime Minister received a mid-term report, which was compiled at the meeting, from Mr. Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Chair of the Commission. While indicating that the consistency between the healthcare, pension, and nursing care systems and economic and fiscal policies, as well as the sustainability of the social security system, have both improved as the result of the system reforms commenced in 2003, the mid-term report also discussed issues faced by Japan, such as the delay in countermeasures against the declining birthrate, the deterioration of systems that provide healthcare and nursing care services, the widening of disparities, and the weakening of safety net functions. It is pointed out that reforms must be advanced that prioritize the strengthening of social security functions, so as to safeguard the necessary services and ensure the security and peace of mind of the people. It also stresses the importance of swiftly arriving at a national consensus on the burden to advance such reforms, urging the Government to secure the necessary financial resources to that end. Each of the three subcommittees -- Securing and Ensuring Income (Employment and Pensions); Safeguarding Services (Healthcare, Nursing Care, and Welfare); and Building Sustainable Society (Countermeasures against the Declining Birthrate and Work-Life Balance) -- also submitted their respective mid-term reports. Prime Minister Fukuda said, "We must urgently respond to various issues that have arisen with regard to the actual social security services provided. In addition to this task, we must also achieve a major structural shift of the social security system. The social security system is built on the people's understanding and acceptance. It can only function when the people support each other. Based on this recognition, I ask for your efforts to enable the wider participation of the people and the members of the opposition parties as well in the discussions of the National Commission on Social Security, among other fora."
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