Prime Minister Naoto Kan held the sixth meeting of the Council for a Number System for Social Security and Taxation at the Prime Minister's Office.

At this meeting, a mid-term report of the deliberations was discussed.

In the opening address, the Prime Minister said, "Earlier today we compiled the fundamental principles for a new pension system. In order to realize a strong social security system, I believe that, in addition to a new pension system, it is essential that we introduce a number system for social security and taxation. Additionally, if we are to introduce a system of refundable tax credit or allowances as a major option to alleviate the regressive nature of the consumption tax, it will be necessary to grasp the people's income more accurately, and for this purpose as well, we should expedite the consideration of a number system. Up until now we have deliberated our options and the advantages and disadvantages of these options and have compiled a mid-term report. Today, we will release this report and hear the people's opinions, first through the public comments process and other methods. On that basis I would like to come to a certain conclusion by the end of this year.

The number system we are discussing is one that is often misconstrued as a system that focuses on administration. I would like to make sure that the system will have sound content and will be understood by the people to be a system that focuses on the people. In other words, I would like to make efforts to thoroughly protect personal information, such as by allowing citizens to utilize and control the information themselves, while allowing the system to be used from the people's perspective, with well thought-out social security and improved convenience to the people."