Prof. Yamanaka's winning of Nobel Prize
A Nobel Prize is usually awarded long after the prize winner's great achievement is made and recognized in public. The decision on the award to Professor Yamanaka was made pretty soon after his discovery. It shows his research findings have been considered groundbreaking. This is great news that gives hope and dreams to people throughout Japan. The iPS cell technology will not only pave the way for regenerative medicine but also will be useful to confirm the safety of chemical substances and to shorten the amount of time required for the development of pharmaceutical products. It is quite an important technology that will make a great contribution to the improvement of mankind. I would like to extend my most sincere congratulations to Professor Yamanaka for his receiving this high honor.
Annual Meetings of IMF and World Bank Group
Amidst uncertainties over the outlook of the global economy, it is very meaningful to hold the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, with the attendance of policymakers from the 188 member countries, as the event serves as a precious opportunity to strengthen cooperative ties among the leaders. Along with the IMF-World Bank meetings, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven advanced economies are also scheduled to meet. It is hoped that they will talk about the focus of collaboration on policy for economic recovery in developed nations.