Prime Minister Naoto Kan attended the ninth meeting of the Council on the State of the Economy held at the Prime Minister's Office.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said, "With a sharp appreciation of yen and spreading and heightening concern among the people and companies over the prospects for the economy, I gathered you today to discuss basic approaches and issues for consideration.
In short, yen appreciation causes pain but at the same time also brings some benefits. To alleviate the pain, in addition to what I have been suggesting for some time, we may consider supporting low-carbon businesses with a bold assistance package in a form of a subsidy for businesses locating within the country. Meanwhile, concerning the benefits, we may make the most out of yen appreciation by boldly investing into overseas projects such as resource procurement. Broadly speaking, what needs to be done, I believe, is to minimize the adverse effects of yen appreciation and maximize the benefits of yen appreciation."