Takaichi Plans to Cut Her Own, Other Ministers’ Pay

Tokyo, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to revise the public servant remuneration law to cut the salaries of cabinet members including herself during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session. The government will hold a meeting of related ministers as early as Tuesday to confirm the suspension of additional allowances for the prime minister and cabinet ministers, which are paid on top of lawmakers’ salaries. Takaichi apparently aims to demonstrate her commitment to reform by realizing her longstanding call to cut cabinet ministers’ salaries. Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), the new coalition partner of her Liberal Democratic Party, is also calling for reforms to reduce lawmakers’ privileges. “I’ll work on a law revision so that (cabinet members) do not receive pay exceeding lawmakers’ salaries,” the prime minister said at her inaugural press conference in October. The government is considering stating in the law that the extra allowances for the prime minister and cabinet ministers will not be provided “for the time being.” Currently, lawmakers receive a monthly salary of 1,294,000 yen. In addition, the prime minister is paid 1,152,000 yen, and cabinet ministers 489,000 yen, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara. However, as part of administrative and fiscal reform, the prime minister returns 30 pct of the monthly pay, and cabinet ministers take a 20 pct pay cut. This effectively reduces the extra allowances to 390,000 yen for the prime minister and 110,000 yen for cabinet ministers. Takaichi’s plan to cut the salaries of cabinet members is “wonderful,” Nippon Ishin co-leader Fumitake Fujita said on social media. “It reflects the prime minister’s willingness to carry out painful reforms if Nippon Ishin does so,” a senior government official said. Meanwhile, some question the idea of cutting the salaries of cabinet members at a time when the government aims to raise people’s incomes. The planned pay cut is “a symbol of the deflationary mindset,” Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, criticized at a press conference on Tuesday. “I have mixed feelings,” an incumbent cabinet member said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]