2024-12-18 23:36:00
Former Prime Minister Hosokawa, who undertook political reform 30 years ago, expressed his understanding that corporate and organizational donations were to be completely banned five years after the law enacted by the Hosokawa Cabinet came into effect.
2024-12-18 23:28:00
Regarding next year's budget proposal, Japan Restoration Party co-leader Maehara indicated on a commercial television program that he might support the bill if it included funds to make high school tuition free without setting income restrictions.
2024-12-18 21:51:00
Regarding the treatment of the additional salary increase for teachers, which is a focus of attention in the formulation of next year's budget, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology have begun considering whether they can reach a compromise on a proposal to gradually increase the increase from the current 4% to 10% over the next six years, without attaching conditions such as a reduction in overtime work.
2024-12-18 21:14:00
It has been learned from an investigation that the police are planning to soon refer the case to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act, alleging that the former mayor of Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture, who lost the mayoral election last month, and his wife paid a so-called female announcer more than the legal limit. In response to an NHK interview, the former mayor said, "I cannot comment because the police are still investigating."
2024-12-18 19:48:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," the Tax System Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito has decided to make adjustments toward clearly stating in next year's tax reform outline that the income tax deduction amount will be raised to 1.23 million yen, unless there is progress in discussions with the Democratic Party for the People.
2024-12-18 19:24:00
At the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee, former Policy Research Council Chairman Hagiuda, a leading member of the LDP's former Abe faction, explained that because he only became a faction executive in August last year, he was not in a position to be involved in the running of faction parties or accounting procedures.
2024-12-18 19:06:00
The House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee met in public with the attendance of the four lawmakers who had omitted to report income and expenditures. Eriko Yamatani, who had omitted about 24 million yen, explained that her secretary had not done so in accordance with instructions from her faction and that she had not been aware of the omissions.
2024-12-18 18:03:00
Regarding the future of the Science Council of Japan, a government panel of experts has compiled a report calling for the organization to be made an independent corporation while receiving financial support from the government. Based on the report, the government plans to submit the necessary bills to the ordinary Diet session next year.
2024-12-18 17:22:00
At the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee, former Policy Research Council Chairman Hagiuda, a leading member of the LDP's former Abe faction, explained that because he only became a faction executive in August last year, he was not in a position to be involved in the running of faction parties or accounting procedures.
2024-12-18 16:25:00
Regarding the issue surrounding political fundraising parties held by LDP factions, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shibayama, who appeared before the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee, explained that although he had listed the funds he had received back from the faction as a donation in his income and expenditure report, he had received instructions from the faction around 2014 not to list them.
2024-12-18 16:17:00
Regarding political reform, the Japan Restoration Party has established a new team to examine how the party has used the policy activity funds that it has provided to its lawmakers, stating that it needs to clean up its own affairs when pursuing issues related to politics and money.
2024-12-18 15:17:00
Prime Minister Ishiba and Komeito leader Saito met ahead of the end of the extraordinary Diet session and confirmed their intention to ensure the passage of the bill currently under deliberation. On the other hand, regarding the optional separate surnames for married couples, Leader Saito requested that discussions be started between working-level officials from both parties to consider the detailed design of the system.
2024-12-18 15:06:00
Akie Abe, the wife of former Prime Minister Abe, who met with the next US President Trump, returned to Japan on the evening of the 17th.
2024-12-18 13:49:00
Regarding the death penalty system, Prime Minister Ishiba responded to a request from a private group made up of members of the judicial system to set up a conference within the government and the Diet to fundamentally review the system, by expressing his desire to deepen discussion within the Liberal Democratic Party.
2024-12-18 13:18:00
Regarding the failure of talks with the ruling party on the 17th to revise the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," Chairman of the Policy Research Council of the Democratic Party for the People, Hamaguchi, said, "Unless there is a new proposal from the ruling party, it will be difficult to resume the talks."
2024-12-18 13:16:00
Regarding the issue surrounding political fundraising parties held by LDP factions, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shibayama, who appeared before the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee, explained that although he had listed the funds he had received back from the faction as a donation in his income and expenditure report, he had received instructions from the faction around 2014 not to list them.
2024-12-18 13:02:00
Deliberations on bills related to political reform began in the House of Councillors on the 18th, and discussions were held on issues such as how to handle corporate and organizational donations, with a conclusion due to be reached by the end of March next year.
2024-12-18 12:01:00
Regarding the issue surrounding political fundraising parties held by LDP factions, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shibayama, who appeared before the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee, explained that although he had listed the funds he had received back from the faction as a donation in his income and expenditure report, he had received instructions from the faction around 2014 not to list them.
2024-12-18 10:46:00
Regarding a review of the "employed elderly pension" system, under which people aged 65 or older have their employee pension insurance reduced if they earn a certain income, the Liberal Democratic Party has put together a proposal that, while considering the possibility of abolishing the system in the future, the standard amount for reductions should first be raised, taking into account the impact of increased spending on pension finances.
2024-12-18 10:42:00
(Prime Minister Ishiba's Activities December 17, 2024)
2024-12-18 10:11:00
(Prime Minister Ishiba's Activities December 16, 2024)
2024-12-18 07:18:00
Prime Minister Ishiba has made clear the government's basic approach to regional revitalization, which he has positioned as a key policy. Based on reflections over the past decade, the government plans to implement measures such as improving the living environment in regional areas and utilizing new technologies in order to keep society functioning even with a declining population.
2024-12-18 06:57:00
We spoke to two experts about the passage of three bills related to political reform in the House of Representatives plenary session, which makes it highly likely that the Political Funds Control Act and other bills will be revised again during this Diet session.
2024-12-18 06:14:00
In an effort to strengthen defense capabilities, the government is making adjustments to include "roads" as part of its efforts to improve public infrastructure so that the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard can use it smoothly for training and other purposes. Designated roads are expected to be developed and expanded using national budgets.
2024-12-18 06:12:00
As the bill's deliberation in the current Diet session becomes more and more likely, the Democratic Party for the People is strongly opposed to the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party's failure to propose further raising the income tax deduction amount regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier." With an eye on next year's budget deliberations, the two sides are engaged in intensifying negotiations.
2024-12-18 04:35:00
NHK examined last year's political funding report published by the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Administration Commission and found that 16 branches of the Liberal Democratic Party, out of the more than 700 branches of political parties, had not reported a total of 3.03 million yen in donations as income, when it was listed on the expenditures side.
2024-12-18 00:55:00
Akie Abe, the wife of former Prime Minister Abe, who met with the next US President Trump, returned to Japan on the evening of the 17th.
