TOKYO: Doubling the household income of those in the bottom 40 per cent of the income bracket is a priority.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told a dinner audience of about 260 Malaysian students and professionals here that balancing income inequality was one of the challenges faced by Malaysia.
He said the many successes achieved by Malaysia did not mean that it did not face challenges.
"Doubling the household income of those in the bottom 40 per cent is our priority," he said.
Najib, who arrived this morning as part of his three-day visit here, said Malaysian students in Japan should prove that they were on par with the Japanese. He called on Malaysians studying and working here to acquire as much knowledge possible and return to contribute to Malaysia's development.
On bilateral ties with Japan, Najib, who will meet his counterpart Shinzo Abe tomorrow, said both countries would enhance cooperation in a multitude of fields, especially economic and new technologies.
Najib, who is accompanied by wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, is expected to take a high speed train trip to Sendai on Tuesday.
Japan, which operates the famous Shinkanzen high speed railway network, is keen on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project.
The project will cut travel time between the two cities by 90 minutes.