Japan's Diet convened an extraordinary session Thursday for deliberations on a supplementary budget to help inflation-hit households and revise a political funds law after a bruising scandal, in the first major test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government.
The 24-day session through Dec 21 will see Ishiba engage in substantive parliamentary debate for the first time since his ruling coalition lost its majority in the House of Representatives in late October.
With opposition support critical for passing budgets and bills, Ishiba acknowledged in remarks to reporters that he would "have to listen more carefully to the views of each party" in the Diet deliberations.
Ishiba is scheduled to deliver a policy speech on Friday in which he is expected to say the government will raise the income threshold for tax payments from the current 1.03 million yen, as floated by the small opposition Democratic Party for the People.
The prime minister will then answer questions from opposition party leaders in both houses of parliament. Deliberations on a yet-to-be-compiled extra budget, likely worth around 13.9 trillion yen, for the current fiscal year ending March are expected to begin on Dec 9.
Passage of the budget is essential to fund a newly compiled economic package that includes cash handouts for low-income earners and the extension of subsidies to lower energy prices this winter.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, are warming to the DPP, exploring cooperation on a policy-by-policy basis, instead of forming an outright tripartite coalition.
Diet deliberations will likely become more demanding for the ruling parties due to an increase in the number of parliamentary committees chaired by opposition lawmakers, reflecting the change in power dynamics after the election.
The reins of the powerful lower house Budget Committee have been handed over to the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, meaning Ishiba will likely need to spend more time answering questions from opposition leaders in parliament.
In a fresh bid to restore public trust undermined by the LDP's lax handling of political funds, Ishiba has promised a legal revision by the end of the year to make the flow and use of political funds more transparent.
Some LDP members, including heavyweights, were found to have amassed slush funds without declaring income from fundraising parties, a scandal that led to the party's dismal election results. Ishiba dissolved the lower house shortly after taking office on Oct 1, vowing to win back public confidence.
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed on the need to abolish policy activity funds that lawmakers receive from their political parties and can use without disclosure.
But the parties remain apart on what to do with donations from businesses and other groups as the LDP, which relies heavily on such contributions, is opposed to the idea of a ban, as proposed by the opposition.
A bill to revise the political funds control law is expected to be drafted based on cross-party discussions.
© KYODO
12 Comments
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Marc Lowe
Minority government? Is there an Ainu or ethnic Korean government in Japan? How can Ishiba's government be a minority government? He had to win to become PM. Please work on clearer and more understandable headlines and reporting. Initial confusion aside, it is clear both parties need to solve the problems surrounding donations and contributions. Probably best not to take lessons from America's stalwart presidential candidate Kamala Harris. I have faith in the Japanese Diet. Ishiba's got this. It would be nice if both sides cooperate for the good of the nation, though.
sakurasuki
Budget, will be another record again this year? Tax payer be prepare.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/da5a100a27de-japan-fy-2025-budget-requests-hit-117-tril-yen-new-record-high.html
IMadeAnAccountJustForThis
@marc lowe,
Before complaining about wording, you should understand their meaning. 'Minority' doesn't only refer to racial minorities. It can be used to describe many types of things.
Ricky Kaminski13
a paradigm shift for the LDP who have got so used to calling the shots so easily for so long. Are they up to it? Can they? Have my doubts, but we shall see.
shogun36
VERY easy solution.
Cut ALL Diet member's salary in half off the top. NO exceptions.
Also eliminate per diem and set a travel budget for every single member.
That would open up a LOT of funds in the "budget."
Rakuraku
shogun36Today 07:11 pm JST
I looked at the figures. This would save 100 million USD equivalent, which is 0.01% of the Japanese national budget. It may be important from a symbolic point of view, but hardly a game-changer when it comes to improving public finances.
Ricky Kaminski13
This guy is good.
https://youtu.be/25Fu14ZXXgI?si=b3nFrLD1gIsUEupa
Ishiba the ambitious, off to a flying start. Not exactly the charm offensive you would hope for.
BB
Raising that ceiling on tax-free incomes seems like a good initiative. It won't help full-time workers, but those who have a spouse or college-age kid doing part-time work will benefit.
HopeSpringsEternal
I'm hopeful this new minority Govt. will be more progressive and inclusive of GOOD ideas!!!
HopeSpringsEternal
Ishiba and charm should never be in the same sentence, so let's hope he reaches out and finds common ground for the citizenry, NOT the special interests = MJGA!
fxgai
oh it will
Simon Foston
They should look at ways of making election campaigning cheaper then, such as allowing online campaigning and making candidate deposits more affordable, e.g. ¥30,000 instead of ¥3 million. I daresay they won't because that would make things a lot easier for opposition parties too, and they would run the risk of more of the 'wrong' sort of people getting elected, e.g. anyone whose family tree doesn't include at least two more Diet members.