Govt to Review All State Funds

Jiji Press

17:25 JST, November 13, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The government will review all of the state funds established to implement specific policy measures smoothly over years, administrative reform minister Taro Kono said Sunday.

The government will draw up rules to check and review state funds before the blanket review, Kono said after the end of a two-day autumn review session for government spending and projects from Saturday.

State funds drew criticism from experts from outside the government who attended the session because large amounts of money remain unused at many of them.

On Sunday, participants examined a fund to help small companies hit by the COVID-19 crisis reconstruct their operations. Some said that the fund under the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry should be drastically reviewed or scrapped.

“We’ll report [the results of the review and the new rules] to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the government’s next meeting on digital administrative and fiscal reform and start checking and reviewing state funds,” Kono told a news conference.

Also on Sunday, a project to help elderly care facilities introduce information and communications technology equipment and robots was examined.

On Saturday, participants reviewed major COVID-19 financial assistance programs to help companies continue their operations and maintain jobs.

The government plans to reflect the results of the two-day session in its work to compile the fiscal 2024 draft budget.