Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� June, 2002

The First Meeting of the Promotion Committee for the Privatization of the Four Highway-related Public Corporations Monday, June 24, 2002 The first meeting of the Promotion Committee for the Privatization of the Four Highway-related Public Corporations was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. This committee is a new organization established to look into a new structure premised on the privatization of the four highway-related public corporations such as the Japan Highway Public Corporation and ways to ensure its economic viability. The members appointed are Mr. Takashi Imai, Honorary Chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), Mr. Hideo Nakamura, Professor at the Musashi Institute of Technology, Mr. Masatake Matsuda, Chairman of the East Japan Railway Company, Mr. Kazuaki Tanaka, Professor at Takushoku University, Ms. Eiko Oya, journalist, Mr. Naoki Inose, writer, and Ms. Yuko Kawamoto, senior expert at McKinsey & Company, Inc., Japan. Among the members, Mr. Imai was chosen to chair the committee. Addressing the committee at the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated, "The reform of the four highway-related public corporations is the most important issue to be tackled by the Government as a whole," and "The realization of benefits such as the improvement of managerial efficiency, diversification of services, and the reduction of the burden on the people through the promotion of privatization, is of primary importance." This committee plans to submit its opinions to the Prime Minister by the end of December.