J Update

The United States launched a war on Iran, naming the operation “Epic Fury,” that invited retaliation of Iran to neighbor countries including Israel. As a close ally of the U.S., Japan responded to the war with support for Trump administration. However, there are a lot of concern in Japan about economic impact of the war. Some gaps between politics and the people are seen in recognition of new conflict in the Middle East.   The news of attack of Iran by U.S. Forces with Israel was brought to Japan in the afternoon of Saturday February 28 th . Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi got back from her trip to Ishikawa prefecture to support a candidate for gubernatorial election and convened a ministers meeting of National Security Council (NSC) in her official residence in Tokyo. “I ordered related ministries to collect information and best effort to secure Japanese people in the region,”  said  Takaichi to the reporters late at the night.   Ministry for Foreign Affairs  rai...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   revealed  her plan to submit bills for consumption tax cut in the extraordinary session of the Diet this fall. She argues that her government is going to reduce consumption tax rate on foods to zero for two years to support households that are suffering from price inflation. However, the opposition parties are still skeptical on her willingness to introduce consumption tax reduction.   Having finished leaders’ questions in Plenary Sittings, Diet discussion on FY2026 budget bill entered debate at Committee on Budget in the House of Representatives on February 27th. Committee members asked questions in an improvisational manner to find out how the prime minister would promote her reform which was represented by the slogan of “responsible and proactive public finances.”   The leader of Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), Jun-ya Ogawa, asked Takaichi how she would proceed discussion in “national council” on social security, which was establish...