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Photo Credit: Chatham HouseThe relative poverty rate, an indicator of disparity, has been declining recently. In particular, the relative poverty rate for children decreased by 2 to 7.9 per cent. This rate had rose consistently since the start of the survey 15 years ago, but dropped for the first time under the Abe Cabinet.Things deemed impossible have been accomplished in succession. The pessimism of the past was entirely incorrect. Our Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito administration has proven this point. We will further advance this positive economic cycle. Let us continue joining forces based on a stable political foundation to steadily overcome the barriers in our way. We will overcome all barriers that interfere with our ambitions. R&D investments and regulatory reforms are vital to a steady creation of innovations. The Abe Cabinet will continue to shoot the third arrow. We will create a new scheme that will enable the use of medical information based on preservation of anonymity. Japan will accelerate its development of new drugs and treatment methods ahead of the world by utilizing big data. Automated driving using artificial intelligence is the future. To move closer to this future, a variety of verification tests are planned in various regions in 2017. We will support private-sector initiatives aimed at early realization of automated driving leveraging national strategic special zones and other measures. We will also move forward with administrative reforms from a private-sector perspective. We will carry out integrated and fundamental reforms of various government statistics untouched for many years. We will fully liberalize gas retail sales from April 2017. This reform will bring about dynamic development of diverse services and cheaper energy costs together with last year’s liberalization of electricity sales.Hydrogen energy holds the trump card for energy security and measures to address global warming. Our regulatory reforms will soon open the way to a hydrogen society of the future here in Japan. Operation of the world’s first-ever bus equipped with large-capacity fuel cells will start running in Tokyo this spring, and by next spring 100 hydrogen stations will be built nationwide. For the first time in the world, electricity will be supplied through hydrogen power generation in Kobe.We aim to expand the use of fuel-cell cars to the 40,000-level, which is 40 times the existing level, by 2020. We will also pursue world-first large-scale hydrogen transport using a liquefied hydrogen carrier. Japan will build an international hydrogen supply chain that extends from production to transportation and consumption ahead of the world. Toward this goal, we will identify all regulations that cut across ministries and agencies and will proceed with reforms. We will pioneer the future for our children and grandchildren. ■The above article is taken from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Policy Speech to the 193rd Session of the Diet delivered on January 20, 2017. Visit www japan.kantei.go.jp for more information on Abenomics and the reforms of the Abe Cabinet.Pictured: Shinzo AbeG7 MEMBER STATES 031