Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is planning a busy year on the economic front.

Abe today (Friday) announced his major directives for fiscal 2014 in Japan’s first parliament meeting of the year.

Abe called on members to combat deflation and support growth by creating a positive economic cycle.

Japan’s economy will face headwinds in form of a sales tax increase set to take effect in April.

Abe is asking his ruling coalition for a supplementary budget as soon as possible to offset any economic downturn.

This session of parliament will also create policies to elevate the position of women in Japanese society by increasing the ratio of women in government jobs to 30 percent by fiscal 2015.

Abe will face sharp questions over his recent visit to the controversial Yasukuni war shrine, which dragged relations with China and Korea to a new low.