Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–About 30 pct of Japan’s working population, or some 20 million people, may be eligible for a financial aid program that the government aims to introduce alongside a planned consumption tax cut for food, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday. The figure was calculated based on similar systems in other countries, Takaichi told a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament. Noting that this is “a reference figure,” she said the government will consider specifics of the benefit program by also taking parliamentary deliberations into account. The income threshold for eligibility for the aid would be considered based on international comparisons regarding the ratios of tax and social security burdens to income and on systems adopted in other nations, the prime minister said. Around 30 pct of workers are eligible for payments under similar aid programs overseas, Takaichi said, citing systems in the United States, Britain and France. “As Japan has around 60 million active workers, 30 pct would amount to approximately 20 million,” she said. The net burden ratio for a family of four with annual income of 5.1 million yen or less is higher in Japan than in other countries, Takaichi said, adding, “We will design our country’s benefit initiative by taking such data into account.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
