At a congress of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on 19th January, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised to link improvements in corporate earnings to higher pay. Abe expressed his intention to prioritise economic recovery, emphasising the need to create a virtuous cycle of economic growth. While there are concerns over a slowdown in consumption after the tax hike in April, the prime minister seems to have determined that he will see Abenomics through.