Japan Press Weekly

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2010 December 1 - 7 [POLITICS]

Public comments are not reflected in budgets

A government panel on December 1, after screening ministry budget requests for the so-called “special category”, released the results of the evaluation on a 4-point scale.

In the FY 2011 national budget, the government will implement an across-the-board 10% cut in the amount of ministry requests. In return, it established a “special category”. Any ministries wishing to secure a certain amount of budget had to hold a “policy contest” to decide which budget requests should be included in the “special category”. For the “policy contest”, Prime Minister Kan Naoto solicited opinions and comments from the public about ministry budget requests for the “special category”.

The panel gave a rating of A to the request by the Defense Ministry for the so-called “sympathy budget”, amounting to 186 billion yen. The full requested amount is likely to be approved.

However, the panel gave ratings of B or C to every request relating to education and cultural activities, including a smaller-size class program for 6-7 year-old pupils, improvement of school facilities, functional enhancement of universities, an increase in scholarship opportunities, and further expansion of the tuition waiver program.

In public opinions and comments, 53% expressed that the “sympathy budget” itself is not necessary while an overwhelming majority called for an increase in education-related budgets as deemed necessary.

On the one hand, the Kan government is to approve the request for the “sympathy budget” as requested. On the other, the government is to reduce the educational budget though it affects the future of Japan. This is unsound and irrational.
- Akahata, December 6, 2010