Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > March, 2006

7th Meeting of the Japan Investment Council Thursday, March 9, 2006 JAPANESE The 7th meeting of the Japan Investment Council (JIC) was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At the meeting, Mr. Haruo Shimada, Chairman of the JIC Expert Committee, reported on the state of progress of plans to double the amount of foreign investment to Japan, indicating that the plans have been steadily implemented to achieve the objective of doubling the amount of foreign investment to Japan over the five years since the inauguration of the Koizumi Cabinet. Following this, leading efforts by foreign firms operating in Japan, as well as case examples of the private-sector attracting foreign firms to Japan were introduced. The relevant ministers then discussed how new programs should be arranged and coordinated in order to further accelerate plans for doubling investment. In conclusion, Prime Minister Koizumi addressed the meeting, saying "If Japan does not make itself an attractive country for foreign investment, we will never improve. This is something that the government and the private sector must work together to address. Various case examples have been introduced today. I ask each and every one of the relevant ministries to consider how they could plan their policies to incorporate the good points that we have learned today and to make the utmost efforts in this endeavor."