LDP Eyes Adding 20,000 Yen to Child Allowances

Tokyo, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to add 20,000 yen to child allowances as part of a comprehensive economic package to be compiled by the government, LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi said Wednesday. The addition is expected to require funds totaling 400 billion yen, according to Kobayashi, who spoke to reporters after meeting with Mitsunari Okamoto, the policy chief of Komeito, the LDP’s former coalition partner. By highlighting the 20,000-yen addition, the LDP apparently hopes to gain support from opposition parties for a supplementary budget to finance the economic package. Komeito is calling for an addition to child support allowances for single-parent households. Meanwhile, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has submitted its proposals, including providing 20,000 yen per child, to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara. On Wednesday, Kobayashi also met with his counterpart from the Democratic Party for the People, Makoto Hamaguchi, who reiterated the DPFP’s request to raise the minimum taxable income level to 1.78 million yen. The two agreed to hold working-level talks on this matter this week. Hamaguchi also requested the continuation of subsidies to curb oil prices after the gasoline tax surcharge is abolished. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]