2024-12-20 23:56:00
During his visit, Director-General of the National Security Council Akiba met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and conveyed his intention to further deepen the cooperative relationship between the two countries. With the possibility of the international situation becoming fluid, it is believed that the aim is to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asia.
2024-12-20 23:06:00
The Liberal Democratic Party has decided to appoint former Policy Research Council Chairman Hagiuda and former Reconstruction Minister Hirazawa, who were not officially endorsed in the recent House of Representatives election following issues surrounding faction political fundraising parties, as branch chiefs who will be expected to be officially endorsed candidates in single-seat constituencies in the next election.
2024-12-20 22:27:00
Regarding political reform, the Japan Restoration Party has put together its own proposal to completely ban corporate and organizational donations, including to political organizations.
2024-12-20 22:06:00
The government held a meeting of relevant cabinet members to address the serious manpower shortage problem in the Self-Defense Forces, and drew up a basic policy that includes providing subsidies to new recruits who begin living at bases and reviewing salaries with a view to raising them after four years.
2024-12-20 21:46:00
The government has decided to set up a new council of experts, including researchers and representatives of volunteer groups, to consider establishing a Disaster Prevention Agency that will act as a command center in the event of a disaster. The government plans to compile a policy direction by next summer.
2024-12-20 21:32:00
On the 20th, Prime Minister Ishiba met with Cabinet members individually and instructed them to take every possible measure to ensure crisis management during the New Year holidays. Given that the Noto Peninsula earthquake occurred on New Year's Day this year, this is thought to be aimed at preparing for any eventuality with a sense of urgency.
2024-12-20 21:11:00
In order to promote the recycling of soil produced during decontamination work following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and its final disposal outside the prefecture, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi has made clear his intention to compile a basic policy by around spring of next year.
2024-12-20 21:08:00
A report was filed against a Communist Party city council member in Tsushima City, Aichi Prefecture, who was taken to the hospital in a drunken state on the 13th of this month, alleging that he had used violence against nurses and firefighters. The council member held a press conference on the 20th to apologize and revealed that he had submitted his resignation, which was accepted.
2024-12-20 21:07:00
Amid ongoing domestic turmoil in South Korea, senior officials in charge of the economy from the Japanese and South Korean governments met and confirmed the importance of cooperation. They also agreed to work to strengthen economic relations, given that next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations.
2024-12-20 21:03:00
The government held a meeting of relevant cabinet members to address the serious manpower shortage problem in the Self-Defense Forces, and drew up a basic policy that includes providing subsidies to new recruits who begin living at bases and reviewing salaries with a view to raising them after four years.
2024-12-20 20:29:00
The Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's House of Councillors Diet Affairs Committee chairmen met and reached a broad agreement to hold a committee meeting on the 24th of next week to vote on a bill related to political reform that is being deliberated in a special committee of the House of Councillors.
2024-12-20 20:28:00
At a meeting of the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee, it was reported that 22 Liberal Democratic Party members of the House of Councillors, who had hoped for the meetings to be held in an open forum, have now expressed their intention to hold the meetings in public. As a result, all deliberations will be held in public from next week onwards.
2024-12-20 20:28:00
The government has drawn up a new draft action plan to eliminate discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities, learning from the lessons of the former Eugenic Protection Law. In order to strengthen efforts to change public servants' attitudes, the plan includes providing training to all senior officials, with disabled people as instructors.
2024-12-20 20:26:00
The Ministry of Justice is considering starting discussions on amending the law regarding the retrial system, which allows for trials to be retried, in light of criticism that it prolongs trials and hinders the clearing of wrongful convictions. It plans to ask the Legislative Council for its consideration as early as next spring.
2024-12-20 19:35:00
In order to strengthen defense capabilities, the government has decided to add "roads" to the efforts to develop public infrastructure so that the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard can use it smoothly for training and other activities.
2024-12-20 19:17:00
Regarding tax reform for next fiscal year, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have decided on the ruling party's tax reform outline, which includes revising the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raising the deduction amount to 1.23 million yen.
2024-12-20 18:46:00
At a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party on the 20th, the Cabinet Office revealed that final adjustments are currently being made to next year's Okinawa promotion budget, which will amount to just over 264 billion yen.
2024-12-20 18:43:00
In preparation for compiling next year's budget, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have decided on a "budget formulation outline" that calls on the government to ensure that wage increases exceed price increases, and in response to a request from the Japan Restoration Party, they have also included language regarding free education.
2024-12-20 18:28:00
Regarding next year's tax reform, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party each held a meeting of their tax system research committees and approved a tax reform outline that revises the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raises the deduction amount to 1.23 million yen. If the deduction amount of 1.03 million yen is raised to 1.23 million yen, what will happen to the tax reductions for each annual income? What about "mortgage tax reductions" and dependent deductions for high school students? We will keep you updated on the latest information.
2024-12-20 18:14:00
The assets of the ministers of the second Ishiba Cabinet, which was launched last month, have been made public. The average of Prime Minister Ishiba and his 19 cabinet members is 65.17 million yen.
2024-12-20 18:11:00
In the afternoon plenary session of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, a majority voted to extend the session, which was due to end on the 21st, by three days until the 24th of next week.
2024-12-20 18:10:00
The Ministry of Justice is considering starting discussions on amending the law regarding the retrial system, which allows for trials to be retried, in light of criticism that it prolongs trials and hinders the clearing of wrongful convictions. It plans to ask the Legislative Council for its consideration as early as next spring.
2024-12-20 18:08:00
At a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party, there were voices expressing support for the government's plan to secure over 1 trillion yen in funding over the next five years to cover expenses for reconstruction efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake, as well as calls for ensuring that funding is not lacking.
2024-12-20 17:39:00
Regarding tax reform for next fiscal year, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have decided on the ruling party's tax reform outline, which includes revising the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raising the deduction amount to 1.23 million yen.
2024-12-20 16:45:00
In response to a series of incidents involving young people applying for unlicensed part-time jobs, Minister of State for Child Policy Mihara posted a video on the Agency for Children and Families' former Twitter account "X" and other platforms in time for the winter break, urging people not to apply for these jobs under any circumstances.
2024-12-20 16:43:00
Regarding the new plan of the Agency for Children and Families, which aims to shift policy from developing childcare facilities, including measures to address the waiting list for childcare, to ensuring quality, Minister of State for Children's Policy Mihara expressed his intention to steadily implement the plan in cooperation with local governments and childcare centers.
2024-12-20 16:39:00
Regarding the release of the former head of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, a special committee of the Liberal Democratic Party has drafted a resolution calling on the government to examine whether its efforts to lobby Denmark, which decided not to allow the former head's extradition, were appropriate.
2024-12-20 16:18:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," Prime Minister Ishiba stated at the House of Councillors plenary session that he fully understands concerns about the impact on local finances, and that he intends to respond carefully.
2024-12-20 16:15:00
With the current Diet session due to end on the 21st, the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have requested the Speakers of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors to extend the session by three days until next week on the 24th in order to ensure sufficient time for deliberation on bills related to political reform. The extension will be voted on at the plenary session to come.
2024-12-20 15:02:00
The revised expenditure law, which requires the disclosure of the use of the former correspondence expenses, now called "research, public relations and residence expenses," on an annual basis and the return of any remaining funds, was passed unanimously at the House of Councilors plenary session on the 20th.
2024-12-20 15:00:00
Regarding the issue surrounding political fundraising parties held by LDP factions, Constitutional Democratic Party leader Noda reiterated his view that the accounting officer for the former Abe faction should be summoned to the Diet, saying that at the Political Ethics Committee meetings held in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, it had become increasingly likely that the withholding of information from the income and expenditure report was done at the instruction of the faction.
2024-12-20 14:13:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party for the People have agreed that the chairmen of the Policy Research Council and the Tax System Research Council will meet next week to continue discussions on how to handle the deduction amount, which the ruling coalition plans to raise to 1.23 million yen.
2024-12-20 13:50:00
Regarding the Chief Cabinet Secretary's regular press conference held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on the 20th, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sato was in charge due to the Diet schedule, etc. This is the first time in 14 years since the Democratic Party of Japan administration that a deputy chief cabinet secretary in charge of administrative affairs has held a press conference on behalf of the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
2024-12-20 13:08:00
The government's special grant-in-aid for the fiscal year to be paid to local governments in December has been decided. Due to the series of disasters this year, including the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rains, disaster-related expenses for recovery and other purposes have increased to 68.7 billion yen, approximately 2.6 times the amount for the same period last year.
2024-12-20 12:21:00
Regarding next year's tax reform, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party each held meetings of their Tax System Research Councils and approved a tax reform outline that includes revising the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raising the deduction amount to 1.23 million yen.
2024-12-20 12:15:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," Prime Minister Ishiba stated at the House of Councillors plenary session that he fully understands concerns about the impact on local finances, and that he intends to respond carefully.
2024-12-20 12:09:00
As Chinese government vessels become more active in the waters around Japan, Prime Minister Ishiba stated at a meeting of relevant cabinet ministers his intention to steadily strengthen maritime security capabilities in order to protect the safety of Japan's maritime domain.
2024-12-20 11:52:00
Regarding the official drug prices set by the government, the government has announced its intention to change the current method of uniformly lowering the prices of all target items in the next fiscal year's price revision. For new drugs, the items subject to price reduction will be limited.
2024-12-20 11:50:00
The Ministry of Justice is considering starting discussions on amending the law regarding the retrial system, which allows for trials to be retried, in light of criticism that it prolongs trials and hinders the clearing of wrongful convictions. It plans to ask the Legislative Council for its consideration as early as next spring.
2024-12-20 11:34:00
Regarding the ongoing discussions between Honda and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. toward a business integration, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Muto expressed a positive view of cooperation between the companies to strengthen their competitiveness at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting.
2024-12-20 11:27:00
The first meeting of the Ministerial Conference aimed at realizing a disaster prevention nation was held, and Prime Minister Ishiba instructed that officials from the Cabinet Office and other organizations be dispatched to the disaster-stricken areas of the Noto Peninsula before winter sets in, and that they work to improve the environment at evacuation shelters while listening to local needs.
2024-12-20 11:17:00
Regarding next year's tax reform, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party each held meetings of their Tax System Research Councils and approved a tax reform outline that includes revising the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raising the deduction amount to 1.23 million yen.
2024-12-20 10:52:00
This year's White Paper on Crime has been completed. The number of arrests for criminal offenses last year was 269,550, the first increase in 19 years, and the number of cybercrime and child abuse cases both reached record highs.
2024-12-20 10:22:00
In order to promote the recycling of soil produced during decontamination work following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and its final disposal outside the prefecture, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi has made clear his intention to compile a basic policy by around spring of next year.
2024-12-20 09:11:00
(Prime Minister Ishiba's Activities December 19, 2024)
2024-12-20 06:15:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," the LDP and Komeito plan to clearly state their position of continuing discussions with the Democratic Party for the People in the tax reform outline for next year, which will be decided on the 20th. They will ask the Democratic Party for the People to continue discussions in line with the agreement reached by the three parties' secretaries-general.
2024-12-20 05:36:00
During his visit to the Philippines, Director-General Akiba met with President Marcos and conveyed his intention to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law, with China's increasing maritime expansion in mind.
2024-12-20 05:07:00
On the evening of the 19th, former Prime Minister Kishida of the Liberal Democratic Party met with lawmakers who served as ministers in his cabinet and exchanged opinions on issues such as running the government under a minority ruling party.
2024-12-20 04:37:00
On the evening of the 19th, LDP Chief Advisor Aso and former Secretary-General Motegi met in Tokyo and exchanged views on Prime Minister Ishiba's administration and how to handle next summer's House of Councillors election.
