Ruling coalition agrees on ¥100,000 cash handouts, vouchers for those aged 18 and younger

Komeito has called for cash handouts or other forms of benefits... to be distributed to everyone aged 18 and below,

So rich kids could get taxpayer handouts too, eh? Yeah, that's fair. It seems that just like last year, a party that hardly anyone voted for is going to be the ultimate decision-maker for a grossly unfair and wasteful policy. Democracy in action!

The most impoverished people I've known in Japan are young single folks with no kids who work in the service industry. But hey, everyone is "equal" in Japan, right?

Surely the money goes to the parents of those aged 18 and below, not the kids themselves, right?

The kids are the ones who will pay in the end because this money comes from taxpayers

Crass vote buying by the Komeito: vote for us and we will give you a cash handout after the election.

The LDP went along with it so they can demand favours from the Komeito down the road, such as on the constitution where 2/3in favour is necessary.

I'm sorry but why is the LDP who holds a majority in the diet listening to what a small semi-religious group is saying. Komeito promised to give each person Y100,000 as an election promise, and now we are all going to have to pay for this silly idea!

All in the same vein as abenomask. No planning or research, just throwing money away. Rich parents and diet members making lotsa money will also benefit from this if they have kids. They'll use this money to go on a vacation somewhere. All while single mothers who are trying to send their kids to college and the college students working their way through school don't receive anything.

It's a brilliant idea: always wanted a Nintendo Switch.

I think all the money or currency handed out should be in a voucher or electronic form with an expiration date.

That way the funds are being used promtly to boost the economy and a survey can be conducted in the future to assess what the funds were actually used to purchase.

Although children are the future not all of them are in need of financial assistant.

Support the people who need help first.

Those that are more fortunate help those that are less fortunate.

The cash and voucher handouts for people aged 18 or younger means people with no kids will be left out. Kishida was sworn in as PM with the pledge that he would save all the needy people. I’m disappointed in him.

Thanks for the beer money, komeito!

This headline is not a mistake?

How about the rest of us?

Kishida’s “Kash for The Kids” kampaign kuickly koalesced with Komeito’s Keiichi. All the need now is a kute maskot to kick it off.

kids'll be stabbing parents to get their mitts on it....

Taxpayers money going to children who pay little or don’t pay tax! This is pure stupidity by the Government officials. Furthermore, there are people out there who can’t have kids due to medical reasons or other factors and this is just pure discrimination against them! Shame on the people who came up with such an idea of handing out cash to kids! It should have been handed out to all taxpayers ( citizen and long term residence ) who contribute to the society and another separate payment to the most affected ( those who have lost jobs or reduced hours through direct impact )!

The way this has been worded is misleading .

The government is not giving ￥100,000 to ever kid under 18, it's going to the parents with kids under 18.

Now the "parents" are supposed to use the money FOR their children, but it will be up to the discretion of the parents to decide what's the best way to use the money for their families/children.

an annual income of 9.6 million yen or above 

What's the percentage of people that makes this kind of money? I'm curious.

I think the money goes to the head of household because they're responsible for paying all the taxes and family revenues. Because money doesn't grow on trees, it's always best to help people who have children first. It's not fair and equal so all you singles grab a hold of them bootstraps.

I have 3 kids and easily fall way under the 9.6 million yen, which is an extravagant amount of money to live on to be honest. This payout will help buy them food and clothes. Have you seen what 3 teenage kids can eat?

To appease the Soka Gakkai.

How about low paid workers and parents?

The Soka Gakkai strikes again!

Dare ask any questions, and you will face the wrath. Your wife and the town office will promptly redirect the money to her bank account.

The average salary is 4.57 million yen a year and I just googled that 65.7 percent of Japanese make 75 percent to 200 percent the median income. So lots of people really don't need the 100.000 yen. Why not give more than that to the single parents and one income families who make less then 5 million a year? Then you'll really help the ones in need

So they can all buy a new phone or backpack, they won't save it, which is the key point

You can bet Japanese toy and game makers are scrambling to get their latest product out on the store shelves right about now.

People complaining that this is discrimination against couples with no kids are just looking for something to get offended by.

Childless people don't have extra mouths to feed and dress. People with kids do.

I identify as 17....

I identify as 17....

...... me too and I am bi.....

Thats why they call them announcements and not promises so they are not held accountable, whilst creating confusion and unrest and a lack of public confidence in government leadership

People complaining that this is discrimination against couples with no kids are just looking for something to get offended by.

Yes.

Childless people don't have extra mouths to feed and dress. People with kids do.

I don't drive. I also don't whine that my tax money goes to roads. Some people are just whiners.

It's nice to know my hard earned yen taxes will go to your offspring. You're welcome.

It's nice to know my hard earned yen taxes will go to your offspring. You're welcome.

I hope you're just as appreciative that my tax money goes to your roads. You're welcome.

What about 18 or older??

I hope you're just as appreciative that my tax money goes to your roads. You're welcome.

Ever take a bus? A taxi, perhaps?

They're not "my" roads, you know.

Politicians and bureaucrats earning 1-2 million¥ each month have no idea of the struggles that the average person has, earning 250,000¥ each month, or less if they don't have a regular job.

Single mothers in particular have a struggle, paying for rent, food, education, etc..

100,000¥ will last a week or so, or more probably go towards paying off debts.

Of course it makes sense to have these payments only for certain groups like low income etc. however, from a logistical point of view, it’s much cheaper to just give X amount of money to everyone. Once you start having income caps etc. it just becomes more expensive to distribute the money.

This will probably take two years to roll out.

We have three kids and my income is down by over half in 2021. We're will not save this money.

As pointed out in the comments yesterday, this may be a handout, but it is costing less that 10% of the government's stimulus spending. It may be the easiest part of the stimulus to understand or getting the most publicity, but I would ask who is getting the other 90%. This is exactly the same situation as the fable with the rich man who takes nine out of ten cookies and tells the poor man "that immigrant is after your cookie".

What an absolutely stupid idea! Politicians and government workers shouldn't be allowed anywhere near anything to do with finance and business. They just don't have a clue.

This is a bribe, pure and simple. The LDP is going for the younger vote. Younger voters haven't been turning up at elections and if they get the idea that the windfall came from the LDP, they will vote and they will vote LDP.

Ever take a bus? A taxi, perhaps?

They're not "my" roads, you know.

Ever avail of any service provided by any human ever?

They're not "my" children, you know.

Great, will add this to the pot with Abe's money from last year. Although 100,000円 only covers a month and a bit Hoikuen payment for our child. But as of next year it will be free due to him turning 3.

I can tell you for sure this money won't be spent on overpriced hotels in hakone, or rediculous shinkansen fees, or any other of the rip off Japan charges. This will be saved for a nice family holiday abroad. Thanks for the money.

Doesn't matter what they do, people will complain. Usually poor people.

Most Japanese (including me) have to "survive" on much less.

So that means you deserve it more than someone earning more than you? It's their job to work hard and fund your poor life choices I suppose.

Childless people don't have extra mouths to feed and dress. People with kids do

Very true. And childless people are also not investing 20 odd years of time and money in to the next generation to fund their retirement and health are. How quickly they overlook this when the parents receive a single payment worth a tiny fraction of their effort to help them along the way.

Given that the bureaucracy in Japan is extremely detail- and rule-orlented, we should assume that the cash benefit for each child should be disbursed electronically into an account in the child's name. This means a LOT of new accounts at the Japan Post Bank, or at commercial banks! It means a LOT of new activity in the city and ward office's online My Number system, too. I suppose city halls will have some residual benefit from uncollected, or late collection of benefits. Too bad there is no needs-based test. Not all families are in a bad financial situation, of course.

Nothing against that handout, but is that limitation even constitutional, to completely exclude all people over 18, because of their age, so to say? That’s surely quite a discrimination and disadvantage of all citizens older than 18.

Given that the bureaucracy in Japan is extremely detail- and rule-orlented, we should assume that the cash benefit for each child should be disbursed electronically into an account in the child's name

Given that you're talking of you're ass, we should assume that you are inventing problems that don't exist.

They will use the standard system of paying it to the registered head of the household. Just like every other child benefit. Just like the one that every child in Japan already receives in 3 installments every year.

Maybe it's just the cynic in me, but I am not going to hold my breath hoping these 'handouts' will not be later connected with incentives before the desired behavior become mandates — New York style. And again, maybe it's just the cynic in me ... but 'handouts' reeks of 'noblesse oblige' from the ruling elite. As if the money were coming from their pockets, and no interested parties will profit from the infrastructure needed to distribute that money. Anyone remember the suspicion regarding the choice of Dentsu to distribute the first handout? Not once in the article does it remind the reader that what is now being considered a 'handout' was first a 'take-away' from mostly the working class ... thanks to increasing the taxes on basic necessities of life rather than on luxury goods and corporate gains.

No, I didn't make a poor life choice, I suppose! My life is full of good choices I made and I have never relied on others

So why are you complaining then?

And/or why are you making a point about how you have to survive on much less then the suggested cap?

Pick a lane.

They're not "my" children, you know.

No, they aren't.

Now the "parents" are supposed to use the money FOR their children,

They are supposed to, but most people will spend it on a couple bottles of Dom Perignon and a few cases of craft beer, me included, my kids have more than enough dough already as is the case of most children with normal family situations (e.g. Dad working, mama staying with kids or both working). Thanks for the cash anyway.

Coming from someone who is not rich: "Means Testing" public benefits (limiting to certain people only) is not only unethical (excluding people who are equally citizens) but also counter-productive (creates class resentment and damages said program's popularity).

We do not exclude ANYONE from public school, from fire-fighter or police protection. We do not exclude rich people from public parks or public school. The point of public benefits is for EVERYONE to benefit.

The part where you complain about 'unfairness' if wealthy also get a benefit is made fair at the end of the year when they pay more taxes.

Many, between 18 and 25, as an arbitrary cut-off, are struggling - as are all ages who are dependent on the service economy. 100,000 yen is a pittance. As to whether or not 'rich kids', of which there are few, receive 100,000 yen is moot and applying a means test is absurd. The money is intended to flow into the economy - as an offset to impoverishment or impacts of SAR%SCoV-2, it is appreciated but the effects are minuscule & very temporary and require something larger.

If it was a bribe, it would have happened pre-election, not post-election.

The promise was made during the election, so it is a bribe.

Probably a bit of a back-handed one, mind - can't imagine many 19 and 20 year olds, and/or their parents, struggling to pay for university/put food on the table, are going to feel all warm and cuddly about the LDP or Komeito come the next election.

And as others have mentioned, plenty of other folk on reduced incomes because of covid could well do with some of the cash that is apparently going to be spent on new phones, Nintendos, overseas holidays and booze.

Gov. made the wrong decision to income cap this benefit.

If you a) live in a major city in Japan , b) want to offer your kids private school, juku, sports/activities (like most all parents would like do if they could), and c) pay the high Japanese taxes, then JPY9.6mn/ year income does not make you "rich" or make it easy to provide those things.

People with higher incomes will pay the higher proportion of the cost anyway, so why not give them the benefit. (Or the kids will end up paying, who may or may not be "rich")

Making the benefit all or majority in vouchers usable for education or child-raising expenses would have been acceptable, but not the cap.

Once again Japanese bureaucrats mix together to make a policy that pleases few.

The LDP looking for votes from the younger generation with a 50000 yen bribe-condescending at best!

klausdorthToday  07:55 am JST

A 9.6 million cap? Now this is a joke!

I mean, you would already make Yen 800.000 every month.

If this isn't enough money to live a lavish life.

There is nothing lavish about 9.6M salary. If you are making 1M a month, you are paying already 300k in taxes and pension payments. So the lavish 1M becomes not-so-lavish 700k. Then you pay the mortgage, 150k a month nursery fee for 2 kids, gas, electricity, food on the table, phone bills and most of it is already gone.

also 1M a month will block you from receiving the jidouteate for kids from next year, when others collect 3man a month for 2 kids. Also house-wife brings no tax benefit with that salary so it’s lose-lose-lose...

I would prefer to see a 9.6 million yen income cap on people having children. Well, maybe a little less but if you cannot afford to feed, clothe, house and educate your children .... you are abusing them and the others who have to step in with our tax money to do it for you.

"How much is rich?" shouldn't be the issue when people are saying nobody with kids needs for state support (as if!), but 9.6 million in Tokyo, about 7.2 million takehome, is not a lot of money for someone with two kids. On top of a high housing cost, you will be above the threshold for help with school fees for senior high. It should be obvious, but someone earning 10 million a year will have more appearances to keep up than someone working in McDonalds. A senior sales exec cannot just turn up at a main customer in a fifteen-year-old Corolla wearing a 20,000 yen suit from Mens Plaza Aoki. That's not how society works.

In Nagano, under 7.2 million gross and you can send a kid to private SHS, like the schools with strong baseball teams that go to Koshien, and get out of paying the 600,000 a year in lesson fees. There are other fees to pay, entrance, uniform, dorms, etc., but 600,000 yen a year off is still pretty tasty. As with spouse dependency, these cutoff lines for state help mean a person who earns more doesn't necessarily end up being better off. One yen in annual salary over for the dependent spouse line costs well over 300,000 yen a year in lost benefits.

The really funny part is the under 18 years old part. Half the kids in senior 3 will be getting the cash and half will get zero... Lets hope they all come to school with new stuff to show off the those born a few months earlier...

Take a step back…

Yes this is probably more about an election bribe / payback.

But if it were actually about real needs, that would say to me that Japan’s security net is completely broken, and the compensation is to splurge 100,000 per kid.

If this is really necessary, then Japan’s security net needs fundamental reform to ensure that all people are adequately provided for in the first place. These adhoc payments are a terrible solution to a perhaps real problem.

I would call for individual savings accounts for all. People ought save for a rainy day, and ISAs are a good mechanism for that purpose.

And what percentage of the public do 18 and younger make up? The government wanted a discount on its promise to help all citizens.

It's nice to know my hard earned yen taxes will go to your offspring. You're welcome.

and when youre old and retired who do you think will be paying the taxes to pay your pension. If you decide not to have kids then itll be other peoples kids supporting your retirement /healthcare

wtfjapan.....

and when youre old and retired who do you think will be paying the taxes to pay your pension. If you decide not to have kids then itll be other peoples kids supporting your retirement /healthcare

Wrong. My exceedingly generous trust fund will see me through old age and beyond.

is that limitation even constitutional, to completely exclude all people over 18, because of their age, so to say? That’s surely quite a discrimination and disadvantage of all citizens older than 18.

There is no law against discrimination between minors and non-minors in Japan. So yes, it's what you call "constitutional".

NOT enough at all, children items such as school uniforms, shoes, and all the crazy items schools DEMAND from students family is well over 250,000 JPY.

Maybe I'll rock up to the Japanese Consulate in Boston with my kid and his Japanese passport and see what's up.

If it was a bribe, it would have happened pre-election, not post-election.

This statement doesn’t really make sense. You bribe the electorate by promising rewards if they vote for you. Then you pay them off. That’s what is happening.

Well, all who earns yen will pay for it anyway, through inflation.