2025-04-01 20:40:00
The Diet affairs chairpersons of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan met and confirmed that they will proceed with making arrangements to hold monthly debates between party leaders during the current Diet session, which runs until June.
2025-04-01 19:48:00
NHK's new fiscal year 2025 budget was approved by the Diet on the 1st.
2025-04-01 19:13:00
At a joint ruling and opposition party council discussing the nature of election campaigns, the parties broadly agreed to raising the pay of campaign workers in election vehicles, taking into account trends in prices and wage increases.
2025-04-01 19:03:00
As bills to amend the Basic Act on Disaster Management and other laws to strengthen disaster prevention systems are being deliberated in the House of Representatives, Minister of Disaster Management Sakai called for understanding for their early passage, saying that the bills will promote cooperation between the government and motivated and capable volunteer groups, leading to improved support for disaster victims.
2025-04-01 18:43:00
Defense Minister Nakatani is making arrangements to visit Italy in May, and hopes to exchange views to ensure that the next-generation fighter jets, which are being jointly developed, can be steadily deployed by 2035.
2025-04-01 18:42:00
Foreign Minister Iwasaki announced that he will visit Belgium this week to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of NATO and its partner countries such as Japan and South Korea. He also exchanged views with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio and expressed his intention to request that Japan be excluded from the tariff measures.
2025-04-01 17:45:00
The secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito met to discuss the handling of corporate and group donations, and confirmed that they will call for discussions with the Constitutional Democratic Party and others based on a proposal for strengthening regulations agreed upon by working-level officials of the three parties, including the Democratic Party for the People.
2025-04-01 17:28:00
LDP Secretary-General of the House of Councillors, Matsuyama, expressed the view that lawmakers who have been suspended from party membership due to issues surrounding faction political fundraising parties should be given positive consideration for appointment to government or party positions once they have completed their punishment period.
2025-04-01 15:21:00
At a press conference, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that the passage of the new fiscal year budget was the result of a "deliberative Diet," and emphasized his intention to continue to carefully work toward consensus building. He also apologized again for the gift certificate distribution issue, saying, "I may have lost sight of myself in some areas," and indicated his intention to work to gain the trust of the people. Meanwhile, he continued to strongly urge Japan to be excluded from the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, and revealed his intention to set up special consultation desks nationwide and work to allay the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses.
2025-04-01 15:17:00
Regarding the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, the Liberal Democratic Party held the first meeting of its new strategy headquarters to consider countermeasures, including through interviews with the automobile industry, which is concerned about the impact, and will then compile recommendations for the government.
2025-04-01 14:38:00
At a press conference, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that the passage of the new fiscal year budget was the result of a "deliberative Diet," and emphasized his intention to continue to carefully work toward consensus building. He also apologized again for the gift certificate distribution issue, saying, "I may have lost sight of myself in some areas," and indicated his intention to work to gain the trust of the people. Meanwhile, he continued to strongly urge Japan to be excluded from the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, and revealed his intention to set up special consultation desks nationwide and work to allay the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses.
2025-04-01 13:40:00
The secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito met to discuss the handling of corporate and group donations, and confirmed that they will call for discussions with the Constitutional Democratic Party and others based on a proposal for strengthening regulations agreed upon by working-level officials of the three parties, including the Democratic Party for the People.
2025-04-01 13:33:00
At a press conference, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that the passage of the new fiscal year budget was the result of a "deliberative Diet," and emphasized his intention to continue to carefully work toward consensus building. He also apologized again for the gift certificate distribution issue, saying, "I may have lost sight of myself in some areas," and indicated his intention to work to gain the trust of the people. Meanwhile, he continued to strongly urge Japan to be excluded from the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, and revealed his intention to set up special consultation desks nationwide and work to allay the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses.
2025-04-01 13:19:00
Regarding the opposition parties' calls for a reduction in the consumption tax rate as a measure to combat rising prices, LDP Secretary-General Moriyama stated that revenue from the consumption tax is used to fund social security, and that if they are calling for a reduction, they should clearly state an alternative source of revenue.
2025-04-01 13:12:00
The new fiscal year budget was passed on March 31 after the first amendments were made in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, and Prime Minister Ishiba held a press conference on the 1st. Political reporter Yasuhiro Yamada will explain the key points of his remarks and the upcoming political schedule.
2025-04-01 13:02:00
At a press conference, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that the passage of the new fiscal year budget was the result of a "deliberative Diet," and emphasized his intention to continue to carefully work toward consensus building. He also apologized again for the gift certificate distribution issue, saying, "I may have lost sight of myself in some areas," and indicated his intention to work to gain the trust of the people. Meanwhile, he continued to strongly urge Japan to be excluded from the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, and revealed his intention to set up special consultation desks nationwide and work to allay the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses.
2025-04-01 12:42:00
The mayoral election for Kishiwada City, Osaka, following the resignation of the mayor, was announced on March 30th, with four candidates, including the former mayor and a newcomer, running.
2025-04-01 12:06:00
At a press conference, Prime Minister Ishiba stated that the passage of the new fiscal year budget was the result of a "deliberative Diet," and emphasized his intention to continue to carefully work toward consensus building. He also apologized again for the gift certificate distribution issue, saying, "I may have lost sight of myself in some areas," and indicated his intention to work to gain the trust of the people. Meanwhile, he continued to strongly urge Japan to be excluded from the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States, and revealed his intention to set up special consultation desks nationwide and work to allay the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses.
2025-04-01 11:10:00
The new fiscal year budget was passed on the 31st of last month after being amended by both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors for the first time. In the second half of the Diet session, issues such as how to handle corporate and group donations, for which a decision has been put off, as well as pension system reform and optional separate surnames for married couples, are expected to become hot topics, and debate between the ruling and opposition parties will continue with an eye on the House of Councillors election this summer. Prime Minister Ishiba intends to steadily advance measures to combat rising prices and respond to additional tariffs imposed by the United States, and he held a press conference at 11 a.m. on the 1st, marking the six-month milestone since the inauguration of his administration.
2025-04-01 10:02:00
The government has put together a draft of a new plan for strengthening the nation's infrastructure from next fiscal year. Following the road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, the plan will include measures to deal with aging infrastructure, with the total cost of the plan exceeding 20 trillion yen.
2025-04-01 08:36:00
(Prime Minister Ishiba's Activities March 31, 2025) 07:46 Leaves the official residence on foot 07:47 Arrives at the official residence 07:56 Pays a courtesy call from Chairman Shiraishi Takashi of the International Council of Eminent Persons for a Nuclear Weapon-Free World and others (until 08:36) 08:51 Leaves the official residence 08:53 Arrives at the Diet 08:55 Enters the House of Councillors' First Committee Room 09:00 House of Councillors Budget Committee opens 09:29 House of Councillors Budget Committee adjourns 09:31 Leaves the same room 09:33 Leaves the Diet 09:35 Arrives at the official residence 09:57 Pays a courtesy call from House of Councillors Veterans Affairs Chairman Bost and others (until 10:35) 12:04 Lunch with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Yata Wakako (until 12:43) 12:52 Leaves the official residence 12:53 Arrives at the Diet 12:55 Enters the reception room of the Speaker of the House of Councillors 12:57 Leaves the room at 12:58 Enters the House of Councillors plenary session hall at 13:01 House of Councillors plenary session begins at 14:27 Leaves the House of Councillors plenary session midway through at 14:29 Leaves the Diet at 14:31 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Office at 14:32 Met with LDP Political Reform Headquarters Secretary-General Koizumi Shinjiro. Also in attendance are Hayashi Yoshimasa and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tachibana Keiichiro (until 15:11). Leaves the Prime Minister's Office at 15:23 Arrives at the Diet at 15:24 Enters the House of Councillors Speaker's reception room at 15:33 Leaves the room at 15:34 Greetings to House of Councillors Speaker Sekiguchi Shoichi, House Management Committee Chairman Makino Kyoo, the LDP, and the Komeito Party. Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, Hayashi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki, and LDP House of Councillors National Affairs Committee Chairman Junichi Ishii accompanied him (until 15:52). 15:55 Enters the Minister's room in the Diet. 16:20 Leaves the room. 16:22 Enters the Speaker's reception room of the House of Representatives. 16:30 Leaves the room. Enters the House of Representatives plenary session hall. 16:32 House of Representatives plenary session opens. 17:51 House of Representatives plenary session adjourns. Leaves the main hall. 17:52 Enters the Speaker's reception room of the House of Representatives. 17:53 Leaves the room. 17:54 Greetings to House of Representatives members Fukushiro Nukaga, Koichiro Gemba, Speaker and Vice Speaker, Yasukazu Hamada, House Management Committee Chairman, the LDP, and Komeito. Accompanied by Finance Minister Kato, Hayashi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tachibana Masashi, and LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Sakamoto Satoshi (until 18:13)18:14 Departs from the Diet18:16 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Office18:17 Interviews with media outlets (until 18:20)18:35 Meets with Cabinet Secretariat Deputy Director-General for Recovery and Reconstruction Assistance Nagahashi Kazuhisa, Cabinet Office Deputy Director-General for Policy Takahashi Kenji, and Japan Meteorological Agency Commissioner Nomura Ryuichi (until 18:55)19:01 Roundtable discussion on "Regions chosen by young people and women" (until 20:06)20:07 Interview with Yamamoto Ren, representative of the Regional Women's Project (until 20:24)21:14 Departs from the Prime Minister's Office21:18 Arrives at the House of Representatives members' accommodation in Akasaka, Tokyo21:54 Departs from the House of Representatives members' accommodation21:57 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Office
2025-04-01 05:43:00
The new fiscal year 2025 budget was passed on the 31st of last month after being amended for the first time in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. In the second half of the Diet session, issues such as how to handle corporate and group donations, on which a decision has been put off, pension system reform and optional separate surnames for married couples are expected to become major issues, and with an eye on the House of Councillors election this summer, the ruling and opposition parties will continue to debate.
2025-04-01 04:45:00
With a view to revitalizing regional areas, Prime Minister Ishiba held a roundtable discussion with women from regional areas and expressed his intention to accelerate deliberations within the government to create an environment in which it is easy for young people and women to work.
