| The Social Security Reform Study Group of the Government and Ruling Parties, at its fourth meeting in the National Diet Building, adopted Guidelines for Social Security Reform. Closing the meeting, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori expressed his determination to have the government and ruling parties continue to work together in considering concrete policy measures to promote the guidelines, saying, "Rebuilding the social security system so that it can function adequately in the face of one of the world's most rapidly falling birthrates and aging population structures is an issue of urgent importance. The social security system is closely bound up with everyday life, and we need to present a blueprint for its reform in a way that the public can understand clearly. The Guidelines for Social Security Reform adopted today represent the outcome of sustained discussion by the government and ruling parties working together to address this issue." He added, "The road to reform will be difficult, but we must resolutely put in place the reforms that are truly necessary."
The guidelines indicate the direction of reform, including (1) the direction of integrated, comprehensive social security reform, including consideration of relevant systems, and (2) elucidation of 10 principles of reform and 5 fundamental ideas required for rebuilding a sustainable social security system. |