The Japanese government on Tuesday launched a ministerial task force to strengthen the country's economic competitiveness in the world, aiming for a revival from its long-standing economic slump.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda, who heads the task force involving nine other ministers, said at a press conference that it is indispensable to shore up Japan's industrial competitiveness for rejuvenating the economy amid globalization.

At the first meeting of the task force, the ministers outlined programs implemented by each ministry to enhance Japan's competitiveness, such as supporting research and development and personnel training, simplifying customs procedures and nurturing new technologies including fuel cells, robots and intelligent home appliances.

The ministers are expected to present new and concrete policy proposals at the next meeting in the fall, and the government plans to incorporate these policies in compiling a budget for the next fiscal year starting April 2006, Hosoda said.

Japan ranked 21st in international economic competitiveness, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 compiled by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development.

The country slid from the fourth in 1996 to 27th place in 2002, but since then, Japan has been rising. It ranked 23rd last year.

In Asia, Japan ranked lower than Singapore and China's Taiwan, which came in third and 11th, respectively, in the latest world ranking.

Source: Xinhua