Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama speaks at a press conference Tuesday.
16:16 JST, March 25, 2026
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tuesday that work will begin to compile the government’s provisional budget in case the budget for fiscal 2026 is not passed by the end of March.
A final decision on whether to approve it at the Cabinet meeting is expected to be made by the end of this week. If compiled, it would be the first provisional budget since fiscal 2015, under the second administration of then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has maintained a stance of aiming to pass the fiscal 2026 budget bill by the end of March, but preparations to compile the provisional budget will also be made at the same time.
Speaking at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Katayama said, “Since not even a single day of a budget vacuum can be accepted, we intend to proceed with the work to compile a provisional budget in case of unforeseen circumstances.”
The fiscal 2026 budget bill, which passed the House of Representatives on Mar.13, will be automatically enacted if the House of Councillors does not vote on it by April 11, under Constitutional provisions. The provisional budget would serve as a “stopgap budget” to cover necessary expenses from April 1 to 11.
It is customary for provisional budgets to include only minimum necessary expenses such as social security costs, and not to cover those for new policies. But this time it will cover some of the costs of making school lunch fees and high school tuition free, measures to be implemented in April.
“We have included the costs for new policies [in provisional budgets] before to ensure there will be no disruption to the lives of the people,” Katayama said.
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki had said a provisional budget should be like supplementary budget in that it should include measures to address energy issues in response to the situation in the Middle East. But Katayama said that is “not envisaged under the intent of the law.”
Top Articles in Politics
-
India’s Arms Indigenization Quest for Self-Reliance / New Delhi Sticks to Its ‘All-Alignment’ Guns Even after Iran Warship Attack
-
Japan Aims to Enhance Deterrence, Defense Industry by Allowing Exports of Weapons
-
Former Japan PM Murayama’s Farewell Ceremony Held; Former Deputy PM Kono Vows to ‘Carry on Path Toward Peace’
-
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University Stripped of Certification for Simplified Visa Procedures Due to Document Failure
-
Japan’s PM Takaichi Seeks to Advance Policies Bearing Her Own ‘Color,’ Eyes Amending Constitution, Building Strong Economy
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; 3-meter Tsunami Warning Issued (Update 1)
-
Police Find Child’s Shoe During Search for Missing Boy in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture
-
Body Found in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, During Search for 11-Year-Old Boy in Area (Update 1)
-
Cherry Blossoms, Rapeseed Flowers Perform Colorful ‘Duet’ in Niigata
-
Trump Extends the Ceasefire with Iran but Keeps the Blockade
Most read in the last 24 hours
-
India's Arms Indigenization Quest for Self-Reliance / New Delhi S...
-
Bonds between Iran, Kikaijima Shine as Concerns Rise over Iranian...
-
Most Serious Cyberattacks against the UK Now from Russia, Iran an...
-
Iran Fires on 3 Ships in the Strait of Hormuz as US Maintains Blo...
-
Trump Envoy Seeks to Replace Iran with Italy in Upcoming World Cu...
Most read in the last 7 days
-
Earthquake Hits Japan's Tohoku Region; 3-meter Tsunami Warning Is...
-
Trump Extends the Ceasefire with Iran but Keeps the Blockade
-
Olympic Gold Medal-Winning Figure Skaters Riku-Ryu Announce Retir...
-
China, South Korea Object to Japanese PM Takaichi's Ritual Offeri...
-
Japan to Ban Use of Portable Chargers on Airplanes from April 24,...
Most read in the last 30 days
-
Earthquake Hits Japan's Tohoku Region; 3-meter Tsunami Warning Is...
-
Police Find Child's Shoe During Search for Missing Boy in Nantan,...
-
Body Found in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, During Search for 11-Year...
-
Cherry Blossoms, Rapeseed Flowers Perform Colorful ‘Duet’ in Niig...
-
Trump Extends the Ceasefire with Iran but Keeps the Blockade

