national

Gov't considers new cash handout for needy households

69 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

69 Comments
Login to comment

What a joke the Japanese government is!

Offering a pittance to the impoverished...

35 ( +38 / -3 )

America has payed out over 10k USD to me. Japan gave a few bucks...give me more Japan!!!

-6 ( +16 / -22 )

The government is considering providing monthly payments of 60,000 yen to single-member households, 80,000 yen to two-person households and 100,000 yen to households composed of three or more people for three months from July, earmarking 50 billion yen from the fiscal 2021 initial budget, the sources said.

Looky Looky who is trying to model America. However America is paying much much more! Give me that free ¥¥!

-8 ( +8 / -16 )

I'm fall or it. I could really use the money. My business has taken a hit.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

@Scarce you should live in America since you want money.

For you it seems America this, America that.

Free doesn't exists and the money is paid by tax and need to be paid back somehow. Is the same for America.

On topic:

Supporting people who can use the money is just a small gesture.

It is not enough for small businesses, households who are in need.

Japan need to increase the vaccinations so that people can go back to normal, if that is still possible.

20 ( +24 / -4 )

This is well welcomed news to all, it will help for sure.

As far as I know the U.S. has issued only 3 stimulus payments to the public totaling $3.200, Japan so far and as far as I know! has paid out about 100,000jpy to all citizens plus other special supports for businesses and families.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

It took months to get the pittance last time, this time they have developed a complex series of rules. So it will be Christmas before anything is seen. If you have successfully filled out the required forms correctly.

Under the envisaged plan, applicants for the new program of pandemic support would be required to meet conditions such as not possessing deposits and savings in excess of 1 million yen, but those on welfare would be excluded, according to the sources.

so having 1 million yen in deposits/ savings is deemed an adequate amount to be viewed as not in need?

politicians are paid that or more a week? Plenty of free money for their business friends and crumbs for the rest of us. Vile.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Are the people proud of Japan's anti lock down measures still proud of Japan's economy?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

1 million is nothing for a family especially with all costs for kids! What a joke!

French government help his citizens living on Japan and impacted by covid. For example a family of 4 receive every month 100 000yens!

16 ( +18 / -2 )

The ¥100,000 blanket tax return (so-called handout) took months to implement and was a huge time and cost burden on local governments. This time, local authorities are going to have to means test, which is an additional load, especially as more services are now remote. Then there is the question of what will happen to all the private data on the more precarious members of society.

Helping those in need directly is a good idea, but the implementation process needs thoughtfulness. The government has had more than a year to develop a plan. Have they?

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Great.....more of my hard earned tax money being given to the poor. There is no excuse for poverty in a country like Japan. If people make bad life choices, they should live with the consequences.

Direct this aid to those who have been affected by government actions on covid not a blanket hand out to all the "poor".

-29 ( +5 / -34 )

so having 1 million yen in deposits/ savings is deemed an adequate amount to be viewed as not in need?

True. My own reaction was that this would be a victory for people who keep their money under the futon. There are plenty of them in Japan. A fall in income, based on tax records, would be fairer than this.

I bet some people who apply will have brand new cars.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Japanese government is not serious about helping its people. With complicated application process and paperwork, many of the needy households will end up getting nothing.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

”needy” or “in need”

the former seems negative

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Way too little, way too late!

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Does it include foreign residents having a hard time making ends meet?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

They should do this on a regular basis, not just for those with low or no savings but also those who are presently jobless as well

7 ( +7 / -0 )

How about focusing on the vaccinations for more people so we can get back to normal again?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Late last October we tried to find a contractor to remodel a house here on Okinawa. To our surprise, they were all busy and you could see construction everywhere. The quotes we were given were almost double the going price and the reason that was given was the demand for construction. Things are still ticking along even with the current SOE. I keep hearing about money being tight and people in dire straits, but I don't see it in the businesses and services here.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Droll

Construction is in a weird place at the moment. For resort type places, Okinawa, Niseko, Furano, Karuizawa, Shonan, etc. will have had extra demand from 2020 from Japanese who can work from home and rich folks wanting to get away from crowds during Covid. The same run-to-the-hills thing has happened in the US, causing supply pinches and price rises for lumber, plywood, etc. imported into Japan. This has raised construction costs nationwide.

Regardless of what's happening in construction or online shopping like Amazon, lots of people have genuinely had next to no income during Covid. People working in events or inbound tourism for starters.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Japan's government is considering another cash handout program of up to 100,000 yen each for needy households to help ease the financial strain of the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

All these needy looking for handouts. Just have a business and the government will give you all the money you need and call it a subsidy or stimulus!

These poors need to learn to pull themselves up by their zori straps!

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Tom Doley:

Are the people proud of Japan's anti lock down measures still proud of Japan's economy?

Not great but not too bad either. Overall, Japan fared pretty well, considering ineptitude of its government.

Covid-19 Deaths (Per 1M pop)

JAPAN (98) vs USA (1,818)

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?

GDP (2020, 2021 growth)

JAPAN (3rd, 2.32%) vs USA (1st, 3.08%)

https://statisticstimes.com/economy/projected-world-gdp-ranking.php

Suicide Rate 2021 (Per 100,000 pop)

JAPAN (15.3) vs USA (16.1)

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country

and so on.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Forget ii, that solves no problem at all. For example, also last time only 10% dripped down to the bottom where I am vegetating. You should link it to the individual persons, not to the household ‘bosses’, but still then the pressures will lead to almost nothing coming to the intended targets.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Hypothetically, if someone is just above 1 mil should they start withdrawing cash??

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Let's see it took jumping through hoops to get the ¥1 million for my business ( finally got it in February).

Local business is near zero because people don't have any extra expendable income and are only buying essential things.

The tourist/foreigners business I did have is all gone and the expected Olympics tourism will not be happening.

Now I would have to knock down the little savings I still have left and am living on to under ¥1 million to maybe get ¥300,000 over 3 months if everything goes right.

This is a joke.

Interesting that the payments if people got them would start just in time for the Olympics, sounds like a bribe to keep people from protesting.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Droll Quarry

Interesting.

We had to have needed repairs done to our place in Tokyo last year and had over 20 Companies offering to do the work trying to under bid eachother.

Even during the SOE everyday now construction companies are knocking on our door and neighbour's doors trying to find jobs for their business.

The number of closed out of business signs on out 3 local shotengais and "Tennant" (for rent) is something I haven't seen in the 30 years I have been here.

Okinawa must be really special to be doing so well.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

 If people make bad life choices, they should live with the consequences.

Ye, because people choose to work for a business that goes bankrupt, or replaces their staff with robots/IT, or sends the work you do overseas. What a stupid comment.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Direct this aid to those who have been affected by government actions on covid not a blanket hand out to all the "poor".

Who do you think are the people most affected by covid?

The poor, those that were working in minimum wage jobs in bars, restaurants, etc...that are now closed or barely making money.

Do you really need to have this explained to you?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Yes, make it happen.

I need about 15 man to go back to the States or Guam or wherever so I can get my vaccine shots already.

I mean, it could be done “for free” in Japan, but that’s not happening any time soon.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

To the people that go on about people making "bad choice" in life "need to pull themselves up" etc...

Both my children graduated from good university last year one with a master's in AI the other with a business degree.

25% of their graduating year haven't yet found full time work.

My daughter's first job was terminated when the parent company decided to cut their losses and shut down the company 200 lost their jobs, the next job was the same, these were long established businesses but the downturn in the economy was to much.

She is now on her third job in less than a year and that business is borderline barely keep it head above water.

My wife's company cut 75% of it's employees most of her fromer colleagues haven't found new employment yet.

She is constantly worried she may be next.

People are not going out, not buying new clothes, make-up, new shoes, cars, etc .. because there is nowhere to go no one to see so no reason to buy anything.

My wife used to buy clothes for work, shoes, hand bags, like most my son and daughter used to do the same.

But now they all work from home so why bother, half the time they don't even get dressed unless they have a video meeting.

Must be nice to be rich and not know what the real world is like.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Suicide Rate 2021 (Per 100,000 pop)

JAPAN (15.3) vs USA (16.1)

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country

Interesting tidbit, this is news to me, thanks

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Sounds suspiciously like socialism.

Mah trigger finger’s gettin all kinds a’ itchy...,

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Give me that free ¥¥!

Anyone who even thinks for a second that it's free, is smoking something pretty damn strong!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I got down voted by stating the truth of what I see here on Okinawa, but I still don't see any signs of people loosing their lively hood. A lot of the jobs here are in the tourist industry and are low paying service jobs, and many of those are performed by people for whom it is a part time job to supplement their income. There are a lot of retired people here as well, who receive healthy government or private pensions. There are poor people here as well, but they seem to be able to live comfortably and drive relatively new cars etc. I have lived here a very long time and watched the young Okinawans leave for the Promised Land in Tokyo, and on the inbound flights, people from ML Japan looking for blue skies and warm sand. The Okinawa government is just as inept as the ML one. The first stimulus money they got... they spent it on PCR testing instead of giving it to the municipalities to dole out, that is a story in itself.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

The debt is held internally in Japan and borrowing at almost no interest is a no brainer. 

Except the source of this money is the pension fund and that is already in trouble. Borrowed money has to come from somewhere and as the Iron Lady pointed out... " the trouble with Socialism is, sooner or later you run out of other peoples money" or in Japans case, you run out of people to feed the tax coffers to keep the free money flowing.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

But Mr Kipling you did not read the article. It is not a blanket payout it is not aimed at those on benefits. Bad life choices - you mean all those who voted LDP

3 ( +4 / -1 )

You can bet all the dearest Japan Today readers who moan and whine about Japan are going to take that money and still moan and whine about Japan.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

“Borrowing at no interest is a no brainer”

The spillover of all this artificially created fiat money into turbocharging stock market, housing, commodity, virtual currency, and other asset classes, has been entirely regressive for those who had few assets to begin with. Shifting the goalposts on them, resulting in even greater inequality, is hardly likely to endear the beneficiaries to the burgeoning number of asset poor.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

You just know a lot of this money will go to people who do not need or deserve it. People who keep millions of yen off the books (an art form in Japan) will qualify and it's your tax money they will be getting.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@Droll Quarry

Okinawa has one of the lowest income in Japan, highest poverty rate, highest unemployment.

Those working part time you describe are doing so because they cannot find full time employment.

There are a lot of retired people here as well, who receive healthy government or private pensions.

The average national pension payment is a great ¥779,300 per year.

In 2016 Okinawa was the poorest prefecture in Japan with all the national and local government help in 2019 it barely moved up to 46 out of 47 and is again 47th and is again the poorest.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The average national pension payment is a great ¥779,300 per year.

That’s only part of the story. Mainlanders who head for sunnier climes are invariably in receipt of much higher pensions than the national pension. On top of all the other moolah they squirreled away when they were making sixteen to eighteen months salary a year including bonuses, which alone exceeded the entire national pension figure you adduce.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Albert

I am not a American Tax Payer, so no, the money is not payed back by me in any way.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

as the Iron Lady pointed out... " the trouble with Socialism is, sooner or later you run out of other peoples money" or in Japans case, you run out of people to feed the tax coffers to keep the free money flowing.

Ah, I get it now, thank you for spelling that out for me. I can finally see what the Iron Hen was clucking on about! She's just more of the same. All I know is, these Looters Don't PAY.

It's obvious. Forget about all the words and window dressing, the cheap talk.

Do what I do. Follow the actions.

So 50billion yen, for the good of the people... sounds like a lot of yen right?

And you say hey, we can't do that cos it's like socialism.

Right. Then, how about 166 billion USD?

What's that in yen again… like 18 TRILLION ?? Quick- How many billion in a TRILLION?

1000!!

The Looters.. Looters all. Don't pay. They Take.

1000 : 1 Looter Take ratio.

So now you see why, I hear people throw around big words like "other people's money", "pensions" and "troubles", "borrow" or "socialism"that's when I get the flashbacks.

I mean, who else would take "other" peoples life savings and lose it all on the most ridiculous investments betting on the shakiest stocks they could find… (I hope they at least got their cut first for all that effort)

Looters.

18 Trillion yen. Gift wrapped. Gone.

But this 50 billion, for the people, oh no.

For you and me it's like I say to you, hey buddy, let me and my buddies loot 18,000 dollars from the bank over here and because I feel bad now you're out of work and homeless, I'll lend you and your people like…

I dunno 50 dollars? Happy LIFE!

I care about the people who need it most. Use the 50 billion, whatever.

I don't wanna hear speeches about "flows" using "free money" and socialism.

Do yourself a favor. Follow the actions. You can stop caring about the guys who take the most.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Finance/Japan-s-pension-giant-suffers-record-166bn-quarterly-loss-Nomura

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This is a good idea as I've had to support my partner who works in the gig economy for over a year now. He is young and poor and not entitled to employment or health benefits as has never had a job paying enough money for him to contribute. So, I've had to support him or see him go homeless. I'm not expecting him to receive as much as other people who have paid into the system but he should at least be getting some money each week to help him eat and buy the basics. We have zero savings now. So this money, any help, would be welcome and there must be thousands of others in this predicament.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

applicants for the new program of pandemic support would be required to meet conditions such as not possessing deposits and savings in excess of 1 million yen, but those on welfare would be excluded, according to the sources.

What in the world does this mean?

Those on welfare, who need it the most, would be exempt from receiving any pandemic support under this new program?

Or -

Those on welfare who have in excess of JY1,000,000 in deposits and savings would be exempt, which makes no sense since you can't get on welfare if you have such deposits and savings.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Last time around Komeito demanded that even folks like myself, who don’t need the money, ought to get it.

Hopefully that tail doesn’t wag the dog again. This deficit spending isn’t for free.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The introduction of Universal Basic Income = Marxism

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Those on welfare, who need it the most, would be exempt from receiving any pandemic support under this new program?

I imagine the thinking is that those on welfare support are already getting money to support them, whereas other people who are otherwise employed but doing it tough aren’t.

To be honest the idea of proving you don’t have savings etc of a million yen seems like it could be troublesome, and involve some nasty paper work in order to prove one qualifies.

I mean, I could empty my bank accounts out if I want to.

Wouldn’t fancy the idea of opening my personal finances to these authorities either, but fortunately I’m not in such need.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

fxgaiToday  04:47 pm JST

Those on welfare, who need it the most, would be exempt from receiving any pandemic support under this new program?

I imagine the thinking is that those on welfare support are already getting money to support them, whereas other people who are otherwise employed but doing it tough aren’t.

To be honest the idea of proving you don’t have savings etc of a million yen seems like it could be troublesome, and involve some nasty paper work in order to prove one qualifies.

I mean, I could empty my bank accounts out if I want to.

Wouldn’t fancy the idea of opening my personal finances to these authorities either, but fortunately I’m not in such need.

Exactly. It is very easy to prove that you have a million yen in the bank, but impossible to prove you don't have it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No job, no benefits, no savings, massive mortgage. My partner has to have two jobs.

growing our own food now. Want to take up fishing but I’m a vegetarian...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Capitalism = money for greedy, none for needy. I guess that is the simplest way to understand it.

Not so, capitalists frequently do a great many things for the needy.

For example saw a chap named Leon Cooperman on tv the other day, he said he plans to give away all his wealth. He even said he’d accept a 50% income tax - that money for politicians to re-elect themselves, not even the needy!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Great.....more of my hard earned tax money being given to the poor. There is no excuse for poverty in a country like Japan. If people make bad life choices, they should live with the consequences

What about those who are disabled and can't work? Should they be given money because they "made bad life choices" ?

I do agree to an extent though. People who have 4 kids, and are on welfare need to do something for themself to get out of the "poor cycle". Most find it easier to sit at home and collect free money than to go oit and work for it.

And before anyone says anything about me and my comments about giving me free money..I was joking. I am not taking any money from Japan, but I will take it from my home country.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Under the envisaged plan, applicants for the new program of pandemic support would be required to meet conditions such as not possessing deposits and savings in excess of 1 million yen, but those on welfare would be excluded, according to the sources.

Another politics to make sure poor stay poor ?

That is stupid, 1 million is nothing. Add one 0, at least.

This kind of politics, which they are already pushing on people on welfare, just stuck people in poverty. To get money to live you need to be at the bottom of the barrel, the second you start planning for the future and getting out of the barrel, then start climbing up, you loose help making you at best stay the same level or just go back down.

Government should not corner people into the bottom of poverty before helping them neither cut help as soon as these people are starting their journey outside the barrel. They should be helped to kept themselves or put themselves back afloat. Neither shamed across their whole family (at least) for facing difficulties.

It is kind of like we see charity in movie : some nobility taking away all the resources from their people and feeling god sent back on earth by giving them a coin after going to the church.

Take an illustrative example : someone was not able to go to university and ended up working, decided to economize to be able to complete a full university course. Things were going smoothly when covid hit and money become scarce. Now they are saying until this person dig through all ones saving, no help will come. Do they consider how many year was needed to accumulate the money and the purpose it was accumulated for :

paying for study

paying for relocating

paying for house renovation in case of disaster

paying for life after retirement

...

There is a lot of reason why people have savings moreover as low as under 10 millions nevertheless 1 million. Most of theses are not depriving politicians of money to spend in lavish steak dinner.

And if you need money to help, just cut any politician salary agreeing with the original idea to 1 million a year to see how good money they think it is now.

@fxgai

Last time around Komeito demanded that even folks like myself, who don’t need the money, ought to get it.

Hopefully that tail doesn’t wag the dog again. This deficit spending isn’t for free.

Nobody forced you to accept the money. Everybody could choose to refuse it by doing the so hard work of ignoring the mail. If you still choose to accept it you could easily have given it straight away to government with a note requesting for it to be used to pay deficit spending. Do not blame komeito for your own action.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They are planning to issue such small amounts and yet have a lot of criteria for being eligible. For being the top 3 countries in the world in terms of economy and development, Japan is lagging far behind in providing assistance to its citizens who are struggling to make ends meet! I was shocked to read about the process for claiming social welfare / financial assistance in Japan whereby upon applying the government officials contact the applicants immediate family / relatives and inform that about the hardship that the applicant is facing and requests the relatives to provide financial aids…wtf! If no family members offers help then only will the Government provide support! Seems like victim shaming or even bullying by the Government!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The best action that I could have taken was to get out of Japan this year-even if I were in Japan to receive the money, it is not even an amount possible to live on...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

America has payed out over 10k USD to me. Japan gave a few bucks...give me more Japan!!!

I can’t understand why the government just can’t borrow enough money to make everyone wealthy enough so they don’t have to work (and keep society functioning during the pandemic). Don’t they know people are suffering and need help now? Pay them! What’s another few more trillions in debt that will cause future disasters when people need help now? Borrow it already! It’s not as if the current unprecedented levels of debt will get paid back anyway. The important thing is the here and now - not tomorrow or our children’s and grandchildren’s future.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

How do they know who is "in need" of and who is "needy"? Everyone needs that money.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nobody forced you to accept the money.

You don’t know my boss...

you could easily have given it straight away to government with a note requesting for it to be used to pay deficit spending.

That’s just paying it as tax effectively, and there is no way the government will spend money in a way individuals request them to.

Do not blame komeito for your own action.

Komeito are fully to blame.

As soon as they make everyone eligible for a handout, people feel they have to get their share or they will be the only sucker to lose out.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites