The increase in production then positively affected corporate profits, employment, and business fixed investment. The economy has been recovering moderately, but the recovery appears to have paused since autumn 2010 due to the deceleration in overseas economies, the phasing out of the various stimulus measures to increase demand for environmentally friendly goods, and the appreciation of the yen.
The movement toward greater transparency and public engagement is ongoing, and advancing that effort is one of my top priorities. At the same time, we recognize that clear communication of our policies actually helps us achieve our goals.