Japan Press Weekly

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2021 December 15 - 21 [POLITICS]

Supplementary budget generous for arms buildup and for specific firms enacted

The House of Councilors on December 20 enacted the supplementary budget for fiscal 2021 through its plenary session by the majority vote of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komei Party. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the budget draft.

In opposition to the budget draft, JCP Upper House lawmaker Yamazoe Taku criticized it for "not sufficiently providing support to individuals and business owners who are currently struggling hard to survive the corona-affected economy while generously budgeting for an arms buildup and subsidies for specific companies".

Yamazoe noted that the supplementary budget and the principal budget combined allocate more than six trillion yen for military spending, and said that the advance payments of loans for the unnecessary non-urgent purchase of U.S.-made weapons are not "expenses of vital importance" under the Public Finance Act.

He also noted that the supplementary budget does not include direct financial support for non-regular workers and women in need, demanding that the budget be recompiled to protect people's lives and livelihoods.

Past related article:
> Shii: Revise supplementary budget to support people’s livelihoods and businesses severely impacted by pandemic [December 10, 2021]