TOYODA Shoichiro
Chairman, Keidanren
Looking back, the progress of Keidanren over the past half-century has mirrored the postwar development of Japan. That progress and that development have been extremely eventful.
Each new phase of growth has presented new challenges, which Japan has tackled in turn. After a period of postwar reconstruction, our economy entered its era of rapid growth. As the economy gained strength, we deregulated capital flows. As Japanese industry expanded, we came to terms with the need to safeguard the environment and to secure reliable supplies of energy. Later, we entered a phase of globalization. And we strove to harmonize our growth with the larger interests of people and companies worldwide.
Keidanren has played an important role throughout that history. It has contributed greatly to sound economic development in Japan and around the world. It has made that contribution under the wise leadership of our past chairmen and through the determined efforts of numerous other individuals.
Today, Japan undertaking structural reform to lay the groundwork for further development in the 21st century. We at Keidanren are participating fully in that effort. Early this year, we unveiled our future blueprint, An Attractive Japan - Keidanren's Vision for Two Thousand Twenty.
We are tackling concrete issues to make good on our vision. We are promoting deregulation; pushing for tax, fiscal, and administrative reform; leading an initiative to move national government functions away from Tokyo; and otherwise supporting the cause of structural reform.
In striving to fulfill our vision for Japan, we will be reshaping our nation. We will be shaping a Japan that will earn the trust and even the respect of people around the world.
The road ahead is strewn with obstacles. But we will approach each obstacle head-on, as we always have, and do our utmost to surmount any difficulty. We will find a way.
No matter how the times and circumstances might change, we will sketch a bright future for Japan and the world. And we will do everything possible to bring about that future. Our mission is to spawn a new era through change, beginning with change in ourselves.
We cannot afford to shy away from change or to settle for the status quo. The very difficulty of the challenge before us must be our inspiration. It must be our motivation to overcome adversity and build on our experience in advancing each new step forward.
Our 50th anniversary is a time for us at Keidanren to rededicate ourselves to contributing to economic vitality in Japan. That must remain our role and our responsibility. In that spirit, let us move boldly and forcefully toward the new century.