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• Aspirations for Fiscal 2021
• One Year after the State of Emergency Declaration on April 7, 2020
• Priority Measures to Prevent the Spread of Disease
• Revision of Corporate Governance Code
• Japan-US Summit
• Myanmar Situation
• Children's Agency (tentative name)

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Aspirations for Fiscal 2021

In the coming fiscal year the business community will tackle key challenges such as implementing growth strategy and achieving digital transformation to gain the understanding and cooperation of the public and all our stakeholders.

One Year after the State of Emergency Declaration on April 7, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted issues that Japanese society was already facing, including structural reform, the need to enhance competitiveness, and a falling birthrate and ageing population. The pandemic has provided opportunities to consider solutions to such problems and accelerate efforts to address them. We need to view such opportunities positively and devise sound responses.

Priority Measures to Prevent the Spread of Disease

COVID-19 infections are approaching the levels prevalent when the state of emergency declaration was renewed, but the healthcare system is managing to hold up. In Japan, where lockdown-type measures are not possible, I understand that targeted measures to prevent infection are just sufficient to avert breakdown of medical care in the regions to which they apply.

(In response to a question on whether the same measures will be applied to the Tokyo metropolitan area) I am aware that local government heads will make an overall judgement based on various factors, including testing, availability of hospital beds, and trends in variants.

Revision of Corporate Governance Code

Corporate governance is essentially something that each company should independently put in place to raise its corporate value.

Keidanren advocates a sustainable capitalism approach, believing that it is important for companies to base their activities on the aim of contributing to society, and thereby also to prosper. I regard the latest revisions to the Corporate Governance Code, which describe ESG investment and disclosure of non-financial information, as aligning with the trend toward such an approach. Amid questions about the significance of companies as social entities in recent years, it is important for Japanese companies to devise their own policies enabling them to be highly rated by global market investors.

Japan-US Summit

First of all, it is highly significant that Prime Minister Suga will be the first foreign leader to meet face-to-face with President Biden. This suggests that the Biden administration will prioritize the Japan-US alliance as it rebuilds various international relationships. The attention of the world is focused on how the administration will engage with issues including security, climate change, and Indo-Pacific strategy, and how it will advance the creation of international frameworks to address these issues. I hope that the upcoming summit will clarify the diplomatic directions to be taken by the Biden administration.

Myanmar Situation

Myanmar has descended into a state of social turmoil, including suspension of banking activities and disruption of telecommunications. Myanmar has a long history of amicable relations with Japan. We will continue to monitor developments there.

Children's Agency (tentative name)

Japan's falling birthrate is a crucial issue, which the government has sought to address with various policies. I am encouraged by discussion of establishing a children's agency, which indicates that the government and the ruling parties are now taking a further step towards comprehensive policy solutions. Keidanren will proactively cooperate with the government in areas such as implementing work style reforms, closing the gender gap, and supporting child-raising.

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