Prime Minister Taro Aso has established a panel to discuss social security and state finance from a middle- and long-range viewpoint. The panel, described as a "conference to build a society in which people will have a sense of economic security," has held its first meeting in which it confirmed that its final proposals will be produced in June so that they will be reflected in the government's basic policy line in 2009.

Mr. Kaoru Yosano, finance and economic and fiscal policy minister, is in charge of the panel, consisting of 15 members chosen from among business and labor leaders, journalists, scholars and civic leaders.

Mr. Aso called on the members to depict a future vision of Japan by reviewing the roles of the private and government sectors, and setting policy goals in areas including medical and nursing care services, employment, pensions and population growth. The panel will focus on how to strengthen social security measures and how to raise funds to implement such measures.