Yoshimasa Yoshiroyama

Will Foreign Hands and Better Corporate Governance Lift the Japanese Economy?

Kashi-san, Yamazaki-san, Hamada-sensei, John San, Kotaro Tamura, Yoshimasa Yoshiroyama

Vice Minister of Finance Yamazaki, Prime Minister Abe's Special Advisor Dr. Hamada, and private sector leaders discussed Japan's economic revitalization under "Abenomics," citing record GDP growth, a 15-year high in the Nikkei index, and a tight labor market with a 22-year peak in job availability. The panel outlined critical structural reforms including a new corporate governance code mandating outside directors, a shift in pension fund equity allocation, and legislative measures to boost female labor participation and manage foreign worker recruitment for the aging population. With consumption tax hikes deferred and a primary fiscal surplus targeted by 2020, government officials and investors unanimously endorsed continued reform, projecting a robust recovery driven by domestic demand and increased shareholder returns.