[ Nippon Keidanren ] [ Policy ]
(Provisional text)

Creative Reforms to Fulfill Responsibility for the Future

FY 2007 General Assembly Resolutions

May 23, 2007

Nippon Keidanren
(Japan Business Federation)

Japan is confronting significant changes including greater mega-competition arising from globalization, a growing awareness of the need to alleviate global environmental degradation, and the arrival of an era of population decline. The Japanese economy is now on firmer ground and is moving from recovery to expansion, but to ensure sustainable economic growth and raise the potential for further growth, there is only one option -- to maximize the vitality of the private sector and to harness the latent energy of the country's regions.

Business activities exist primarily for one purpose: to create added value. By creating jobs and providing safe, reliable, ideal products and services, companies raise the standard of living of the Japanese people. We, the many companies of Nippon Keidanren's membership, are leading innovators who boost Japan's competitiveness, and we are keen to promote growth through the development of our own fields of endeavor. In addition, of course, we pledge to fulfill our social responsibilities through corporate activities that are based on firm ethical principles.

Mega-competition arises from individual countries fostering systems that can become rough seas to navigate. Bold and creative structural reforms in all economic and social fields are essential to achieve Keidanren's vision for 2007, "Land of Hope, Japan."

Nippon Keidanren is strongly aware of its responsibility to promote the well-being and future of Japanese society. We, the member companies of Nippon Keidanren, hereby adopt as our primary policy objectives the enhancement of our relations with Japan's political establishment, with political measures as the hub of our efforts, and transparent, fair relations with all levels of all industries. We hereby resolve to work as one to address the following issues.

Agenda

1. Applying the vitality of the private sector to ensure sustainable growth by promoting

  1. Regulatory reform, openness in the private sector, creation of new industries, and greater efficiency in public services
  2. More effective policies promoting science and technology, in order to accelerate innovation; greater productivity through the advanced use of information and communications technology (ICT) and more efficient distribution systems; achievement of industrial competitive advantage
  3. Greater international competitiveness in financial services, to establish another foundation for stable, sustainable growth
  4. Promotion of international expansion and multi-use, to expand content markets

2. Enhancing conditions for international competitiveness and fair market systems by supporting

  1. Amendments to commercial legislation, lowered corporate taxes, and reduced effective tax rates, to further develop the fundamentals for international competition
  2. Creation of an effective post-Kyoto Protocol framework; promotion of environmental conservation policies aimed at harnessing the potential of the private sector when establishing anti-global warming measures and sustainable societies; greater energy security based on strategic resource diplomacy and technical policies
  3. Strategic promotion of policies to protect intellectual property and ensure international standardization

3. Ensure the sustainability of Japan's fiscal situation and social insurance system by advocating

  1. Committed reform of the Japanese government's annual budgetary expenditures and revenues, to ensure the nation's fiscal health
  2. A sustainable social security system achieved through fundamental reform of the tax system, establishment of a social security number system and an individual social security account system, and integrated reform of the pension, medical treatment and nursing care systems, in order to alleviate the insecurity Japanese people feel about their future

4. Support the harnessing of local energies for national growth by backing

  1. Reform of national and local government administrative and financial systems; promotion of introduction of a new state system to replace the current prefectural system
  2. Promotion of the development of infrastructure that effectively stimulates local economies, with priority placed on such elements as airports and ports, under clearly stated national strategies
  3. Local development and beautification programs to enhance the attractive features of the country's regions, in order to promote international tourism, increase human contacts, and strengthen international understanding
  4. Development of safer, more pleasant urban environments and more agreeable living and housing conditions conducive to comfortable, satisfying lifestyles
  5. Promotion of domestic agricultural reforms targeting higher farm productivity, to ensure food diversity and security

5. Encourage the training of human resources needed to ensure Japan's future

  1. Educational reforms geared to training workers who are creative, international in outlook, public-spirited and dedicated
  2. Dramatic improvement in the quality of publicly funded education to ensure fair access to educational opportunities
  3. Collaboration among industry, educational institutions and governments to train high-caliber human resources for research and development in advanced scientific and technical fields

6. Establishing work/life balance programs to deal with the coming labor shortage

  1. Development of staffing and employment systems that offer diverse choices; promotion of the development of legal frameworks that encourage autonomy and flexible work styles
  2. Positioning of countermeasures to the falling birthrate as investments in Japan's future; childrearing support measures implemented beginning at the nursery school level with a view to developing future human resources
  3. Development of a framework for the admission of foreign workers in order to better utilize those workers

7. Contribute to world peace and economic development

  1. Global economic dynamism used as a lever for structural reform of the Japanese economy and economic growth in Japan, to be achieved through promotion of a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha Round of negotiations, more economic partnership agreements (EPA), trade system reform, and expansion of direct foreign investment in Japan
  2. Promotion of diplomatic and security policies focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, while maintaining Japan-U.S. relations as a cornerstone of Japan's foreign policy
  3. Strategic promotion of overseas economic assistance programs

8. Promote fair socioeconomic systems

  1. Strengthening of relationships with Japan's political establishment, with political measures as the hub of efforts, and transparent and fair relations with all levels of all industries
  2. Corporate management systems that focus on social responsibility; vigilant efforts to ensure corporate ethical behavior
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