Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda attended a meeting of the Frontier of Happiness Panel of the Frontier Subcommittee of the Council on National Strategy and Policy held at the Cabinet Office Main Building.

The Frontier of Happiness Panel is one of four panels established under the Council on National Strategy and Policy. Its objective is to consider a society that will facilitate the achievement of happiness. This will be carried out by ascertaining the conditions for increasing peoples' sense of happiness based on the viewpoint that peoples' happiness is not conditional upon economic prosperity.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address, "The priority themes of the Noda Cabinet above all are reconstruction, addressing the nuclear power accident, and revival of the Japanese economy by overcoming yen appreciation and deflation. These are the three major propositions. However, when we think about the mid- to long-term future, I believe the most essential question is whether or not we have the motivation and capacity to develop frontiers courageously and pave the way for the future. This is the sort of vision we would like to strategically set out, and therefore, we are having this discussion as we seek to benefit from your expertise.
The birthrate is declining and the population is aging at even quicker rates - quicker than humankind has ever experienced before. At the same time, it has become difficult to consistently achieve high economic growth as we did in the past. In this context, how can people feel happy? How can we create a country or society in which people can feel happy? Frontier panels have also been launched for wisdom, peace, and prosperity. I believe the most critical factor for the Frontier of Happiness Panel will be its stance.
I ask that this panel, which deals with the most important theme, gathers the wisdom of everyone, beginning with that of Ms. Aya Abe, the Chair of the Panel."