2011 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting:
Japan Announces Intention to Review Its Basic Energy Plan

May 26, 2011

The OECD Ministerial Council Meeting commemorating the 50th anniversary of the organisation was held in Paris on 25-26 May. The Japanese delegation, headed by Prime Minister Naoto Kan and including many high-ranking ministerial officials, laid out Japan's policies in the "All-Japan" approach.

The Commemoration Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the OECD

The Commemoration Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the OECD was held in the evening of 25 May. In his address to the ceremony, Prime Minister Kan noted that when Japan joined the OECD as the first country outside of Europe and North America, it faced the major challenge of liberalizing its external economic relations in accordance with the OECD's Codes of Liberalisation. He stressed, however, that promoting this important issue opened the way for high levels of growth for Japan. Prime Minister Kan went on to assert that prompted by the 11 March disaster, Japan will conduct a fundamental review of its basic energy plan. He added that Japan needs to nurture the two new pillars of renewable energy and energy-efficiency, in addition to the two pillars to date of nuclear power and fossil fuels.

At the ceremony, the participants adopted the Vision Statement, which outlines the future course of action for the OECD. The statement reaffirmed, among others, that economic growth and employment through green growth and private-sector innovation remain important issues today following the recent global financial and economic crisis, and will continue to matter in the future.

Stressing the safety of export products from Japan

The Ministerial Council Meeting focused on the theme "Better Policies for Better Lives." The Japanese delegation noted that, despite the major negative impact of the 11 March disaster, there are emerging signs of a robust recovery in the Japanese economy, which will be reflected by a rebound in economic growth in the second half of this year. Focusing on food security, the delegation pointed to the importance of boosting food production to cope with increasing global demand and stressed the necessity to maintain and develop various forms of agriculture in various areas. They emphasized the safety of export products from Japan and called for refraining from taking WTO-inconsistent measures in the context of ensuring uninterrupted supply chains.