Budget Proposal Passed by Lower House: Policy Debate Overshadowed by Schedule Struggle

Editorial

16:51 JST, March 16, 2026

It is undeniable that effort was spent on political maneuvering over how much time to secure for deliberations on a budget proposal, leaving discussions on crucial measures behind. The government as well as the ruling and opposition parties should seriously reflect on this situation.

The initial budget proposal for fiscal 2026, totaling ¥122.3 trillion, was passed by the House of Representatives with majority support from the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party.

It is common for the lower house to spend about one month, totaling 70 to 80 hours, in deliberations for an initial budget. However, the latest initial budget was deliberated for only about two weeks, totaling 59 hours.

This year’s budget deliberations began about one month later than usual following the dissolution of the lower house and the subsequent general election. Nevertheless, the government insisted on passing the budget proposal within this fiscal year. This resulted in shortening the deliberation time.

Deliberating on a budget proposal, which determines how taxes collected from the people are spent, is a crucial task of the legislature. It is indispensable to scrutinize it carefully. 

Yet it is not simply a matter of spending as much time as possible by following the customs of the Diet.

Indeed, some questions from opposition party lawmakers were puzzling.

Trying to trip up Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi with her statement, “I’m a woman who dislikes dinner meetings,” Centrist Reform Alliance leader Junya Ogawa criticized this, saying, “That is contrary to gender equality.” Another lawmaker pressed Takaichi about her ties to the former Unification Church without presenting new facts.

Given that, it is no wonder the ruling camp claimed the budget proposal was thoroughly discussed.

On the other hand, the responses from the government side to questions about domestic and international issues were also unsatisfactory.

Even when the opposition side challenged Takaichi to a debate on setting the consumption tax rate on food items to zero for two years, she repeatedly dodged the challenge, saying, “I want to discuss this matter at the National Council on Social Security.”

However, the government has only invited some opposition parties to participate in this council. If the prime minister uses a forum that is far from being suprapartisan as a shield to avoid answering questions, it would be hard to avert criticism that Takaichi disregards the Diet.

Furthermore, when asked whether she considers U.S. attacks on Iran to be legally justified under international law, Takaichi only repeated, “I’m not in a position to grasp the full details of the facts.”

The alliance with the United States is the cornerstone of Japan’s diplomacy, but overlooking Washington’s unilateral military action against Iran could undermine the foundations of the rule of law, on which Japan has long placed importance. Why doesn’t Takaichi frankly express her own views?

Budget deliberations will move to the House of Councillors at the start of the week. As the ruling coalition lacks a majority in the upper house, budget committee operations are unlikely to be pushed through, unlike in the lower house. The government will certainly be urged to provide more detailed responses.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 15, 2026)