CDP to present “full package” of budget revisions in mid-February

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan plans to present a “full package” of revisions to the government’s fiscal 2025 budget bill in mid-February, a CDP lawmaker said in a televised debate on Sunday.

A debate participant from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party indicated the ruling bloc’s willingness to revise the budget bill and sought cooperation from the opposition camp to pass the budget bill by the end on March 31 of fiscal 2024.

The CDP’s upcoming revision package will include a gasoline tax cut, free school lunches and tuition-free high school education regardless of parents’ income levels, party member Kazunori Yamanoi said in the debate aired on public broadcaster NHK.

“We will also secure funding (for budget revisions),” Yamanoi noted. “If the government revises its budget bill, the opposition camp has to come up with proposals by mid-February to make it on time,” he added.

“We would respond to (proposals for) necessary revisions,” said Shinji Inoue of the LDP. Referring to the country’s dire fiscal situation, meanwhile, Inoue urged the opposition camp to consider stable funding measures as well.

Kazuyoshi Akaba of Komeito, the LDP’s coalition partner, said his party will “positively discuss” revisions to the budget bill, as well as funding measures.

Kee Miki of Nippon Ishin no Kai reiterated her party’s call for tuition-free high school education.

The Democratic Party for the People’s Satoshi Asano urged the ruling bloc to accept the party’s demand to raise the minimum taxable annual income to ¥1.78 million from the current ¥1.03 million.