TOKYO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said in his New Year speech on Tuesday that the government will begin in 2008 to change the society into one in which "people and consumers are protagonists."

    In regard to a series of scandals of production date forgery in 2007, Fukuda called on both the government and enterprises to think from the standpoints of the people and consumers.

    About the blunder of losing some 50 million pension records, Fukuda vowed to conduct thorough reform on the pension system.

    He also promised to lead the new special anti-terrorism measures law, which has been the focus of the ruling coalition and the opposition bloc's combat, through the parliament in a early date to show the world that Japan is "in sweat" for the global anti-terrorism operations.

    Talking about the G-8 summit slated for July in Hokkaido, the premier expected that Japan's high tech on environment protection and energy efficiency should play a leading role in the environment-focused summit.