Tokyo [Japan], November 9 (ANI): Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to introduce legislation reducing her own salary and those of her Cabinet ministers, aiming to push forward administrative and fiscal reforms, The Japan Times reported. The proposal is expected to be discussed during the ongoing extraordinary session of Parliament, potentially as early as Tuesday.
Under the plan, additional allowances currently granted to the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers would be suspended, while regular lawmakers’ salaries remain unchanged. The move reflects Takaichi’s longstanding advocacy for reducing ministerial pay and her broader effort to demonstrate commitment to fiscal discipline. At her inaugural news conference in October, she said, “I’ll work on a law revision so that (cabinet members) do not receive pay exceeding lawmakers’ salaries,” according to The Japan Times.
Currently, lawmakers receive a monthly salary of JPY 1.294 million, with the Prime Minister receiving an extra JPY 1.152 million and Cabinet ministers JPY 489,000 in allowances. Cost-cutting measures have already led the Prime Minister to return 30% of additional pay and ministers 20%, reducing effective allowances to about JPY 390,000 and JPY 110,000, respectively, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara.
The proposed cuts have received backing from the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), the new coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has advocated limiting lawmakers’ privileges. “It’s a wonderful initiative,” JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita said, praising Takaichi’s reform efforts.
However, the plan has drawn criticism from opposition figures. Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki called the measure “a symbol of the deflationary mindset,” questioning its timing as the government seeks to boost household incomes. An incumbent Cabinet member also expressed ambivalence, highlighting differing views within the administration regarding the political and economic impact of the decision. (ANI)
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