Japan PM Takaichi Sees No Need for Extra Budget

Tokyo, April 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that she currently sees no need for the government to compile a fiscal 2026 supplementary budget to implement economic measures in response to the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. During deliberations at a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting, Takaichi also took a cautious stance on issuing a request for saving energy, such as fuel oil, saying, “Economic activities shouldn’t be halted at present.” The prime minister stated that, while closely monitoring the impact of developments in the Middle East on the economy, the government will make use of reserve funds in the fiscal 2026 government budget if necessary. “We will carefully watch how the situation unfolds and take whatever measures are required without hesitation,” she said. The reserve funds included in the fiscal 2026 full budget enacted earlier this month amount to 1 trillion yen. Regarding growing public concern over possible disruptions to the supply of fuel and petroleum products, Takaichi reiterated that the government “has secured sufficient supplies for the entire country by diversifying procurement sources and releasing oil reserves.” “We will make every effort to avoid any negative impact on people’s lives, livelihoods and economic activities,” the prime minister said. Elsewhere in the meeting, Takaichi expressed her willingness to submit to the Diet, or parliament, a bill aimed at amending Japan’s retrial system, while also indicating that she would closely watch deliberations on the controversial issue within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Although the prime minister said she hopes to present “the best proposal” to revise the Code of Criminal Procedure, she added, “This is a matter that should not be decided by my political judgement alone.” Asked for swift government action to amend the Imperial House Law to secure a sufficient number of Imperial Family members, Takaichi said, “We want to draw up and submit a related bill as soon as Diet deliberations on the issue are completed.” On the prime minister’s push for constitutional revision, Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Taku Yamazoe said, “Attempting to change (pacifist) Article 9 is out of the question.” Takaichi countered, “There are no constraints on (the prime minister) considering or advocating constitutional revision through the amendment procedures stipulated by the Constitution.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]