Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Friday that it is considering providing around 5,000 yen a year to low-income workers under a proposed income-linked benefit program. Under the program, a fixed amount is expected to be given to people in work who earn 1.19 million yen or less annually. The government expects the amount to gradually increase until the annual income reaches 1.6 million yen. The benefits will decrease gradually after the annual income exceeds a certain level. The plan was outlined in documents submitted by the government at a board meeting of the Financial Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament. The committee is discussing bills aimed at reducing the 8 pct consumption tax on food to 1 pct for a two-year period starting next April and introducing the benefit program. The government plans to provide 600 billion yen in benefits a year in total, a figure equivalent to 1 pct of the consumption tax. Noting that the 600 billion yen amounts to 5,000 yen per capita by simple calculation, the government said in the documents that it will consider the amount of benefits for low-income earners using the figure as a reference. The government has also put forward an estimate that the average amount of benefits will be 30,000 yen if about 20 million people with an annual income of 1 million to 3.5 million yen are eligible for them. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has stressed that these figures are for reference only and that the government has not presented its proposals. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
