On August 4, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took part in a budget committee session—the first major Diet debate since the upper house election. He said he's open to working with the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) on cutting the consumption tax and providing cash handouts, both key issues during the election. He told CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda that the largest and second-largest parties should share responsibility in responding to voters.
The ruling LDP had promised cash handouts during the campaign, while the CDP pushed for a temporary tax cut, along with some form of financial aid until that’s possible. Noda asked for serious talks on tax cuts, cash payments, and refundable tax credits. Ishiba replied, “I want to do exactly that.”
Now that Ishiba's party is no longer the majority in both chambers, he's signaling a clearer willingness to cooperate with opposition parties.
On the matter of his future as Prime Minister, Ishiba said he can't give a clear answer yet. He wants to wait and see if the recent U.S.-Japan tariff deal ends up hurting Japanese businesses.
He also stressed the need for responsible budgeting, saying that any policy talks with the CDP should also include discussions about how to fund them without harming the country's finances or future social security.
by MagazineKey4532