Japan National Council Chief Revises Draft of New Benefit Program

Tokyo, July 14 (Jiji Press)--The head of Japan’s suprapartisan National Council on Social Security on Monday presented a revised draft of a new benefit program for low- and middle-income workers.

The council resumed discussions for compiling an interim report at the day’s meeting of working-level officials.

The modified draft submitted by the council head, Itsunori Onodera, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Research Commission on the Tax System, proposes introducing concrete support measures, including benefit payments to low-income earners and people who cannot work due to diseases or disabilities, in fiscal 2029.

Eligible for the new aid program are people with a certain level of earned income, according to the revised draft, which also calls for providing benefits, consultations and employment support in an integrated way.

“We will collect opinions from each party (at the next meeting on Thursday) and then come up with a certain direction,” Onodera told reporters after Monday’s meeting.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]