Japan's Abe attempts to tackle welfare reform in final term as premier
[ad_1] TOKYO : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicked off debate on Friday on an overhaul of the welfare system in what is likely to be his last major economic reform during his final term in office. Abe has pledged to come up with a plan to keep older people in the workforce longer and to reduce the financial burden Japan 's rapidly ageing population places on the pension system. "I want to study how to raise the retirement age above 65," Abe said on Friday at an advisory panel on investing for Japan's future. The panel met for the first time since Abe won a leadership vote for his party last month, which granted him a final three-year term as prime minister and a chance to cement his legacy. Advisers at the meeting also presented a rough draft of policy ideas, including encouraging more use of industrial robots and artificial intelligence in both the government and the private sector. During his campaign for the leadership vote, Abe said his main priority for e...