Message from ANDEV Co-Chair Imants Kins

Dear ANDEV supporters,
Some further details that emerged in last two days on the SEZ’s announced by PM Abe:
Deregulation zones: Another borrowed idea, this time from the 2001-2006 government of Junichiro Koizumi. Selected cities and regions, including Tokyo, would be allowed to experiment with deregulation measures not yet approved for the nation as a whole.
The policy of allowing special “deregulation zones” has existed since the administration of Junichiro Koizumi a decade ago and is intended to circumvent the central-government bureaucrats and organised special interests that have often stood in the way of national reforms.
In practice, critics say, such zones have been too small and their experiments too marginal to have much impact. This time, Mr Abe wants to try on a grander scale, with major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya taking the lead.
“I want to create an international business environment to match cities like London or New York,” Mr Abe said.
(Excerpts from the Financial Times UK)