Abe eyes ¥1 tril extra budget for disaster relief

You cannot just cut it to spend on everything else 

hattorikun - yes you can. Announcements of plans to spend money on expensive military systems seem to be almost monthly. Some of the recent plans, for which no money has yet been spent, can be cancelled.

Or maybe perhaps some of the commentators here will be first on the front line to protect us. If so thank you very much!

A good example of reverting to a meaningless rheotorical question when you are unable to present your argument logically.

Everything has to be planned and budgeted for?, like TEPCO, tsunami, volcanic actions?The government has no plan does not has not put money aside. Just print more and raise taxes if that's a legitimate "plan" then what am I doing paying insurance. I should just start taxing my kids and get a really good photocopy machine.

Cucashopboy - thanks for your arguments. The logic I have is, we need longer term, strategic spending on things like military preparedness, which take time to plan and build up. Such discussion might surface more often than you might like it to be but it’s been an ongoing proposal/project. Show me the data if the japnese government is proposing such spending on a monthly basis as you claim. For contracts or projects that have been committed, the cost of cancelling them might be greater than you think. On my last comment, i was just sarcastic.

It will also be used to install air conditioners in elementary and middle schools across the country, which suffered record temperatures during a heat wave 

Wow! Just how far does he expect this money to go? It’s interesting that they are installing the air conditioners after the heatwave. The average temps this summer were only slightly higher than normal. They should have been installed when the school were built. Perhaps Japan is changing it’s policy of spending less on educational facilities our if all the G7 countries.

However, I fail to see how ¥1 trillion will be enough to rebuild the four disaster hit areas and supply air conditioners for all the public schools in Japan. I think Abe is speaking out of his hat (or the other end) again.

Japanese Prime Minister who will be elected without Debate.

Do the hurstle - no 1 trillion yen might not be enough but I think we would take step to tackle these issues. Could be bad if we ask for less or do nothing and wait for your donations. Maybe you will have better ideas. Thanks !

It is Japan you would think that the government would have an inkling that there might be I don't know a typhoon? Earthquake? Nuclear meltdown, Godzilla attack? But sadly no. Is planning not part of the job?

everything is planned and budgeted. Disasters are contingencies, which is why the budget requested is supplementary. Military spending and the like are of strategic and long term nature. You cannot just cut it to spend on everything else as, I say again here, if you are not prepared and when a conflict arises you cannot ask for a supplementary fund to arm your defense forces over night. Or maybe perhaps some of the commentators here will be first on the front line to protect us. If so thank you very much!