December 17, 2025

The supplementary budget for fiscal 2025, which pushes ahead with a significant military expansion without implementing any fundamental measures to combat rising prices, was approved at the House of Councillors plenary session on December 16 by the majority vote of the ruling coalition, the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), and the “Komeito” party.

By supporting the passage of the supplementary budget, the DPP and the Komeito demonstrated their role as “supplements” to the Takaichi coalition government formed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the “Nippon Ishi no Kai” party.

The Japanese Communist Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the “Sanseito” party, the “Reiwa Shinsengumi” party, and the Okinawa Whirlwind voted against the budget bill.

The supplementary budget totals more than 18.3 trillion yen. Over 60% or nearly 11.7 trillion yen of this will be funded through the issuance of additional government bonds.

At a Budget Committee meeting prior to the plenary session, JCP lawmaker Iwabuchi Tomo criticized the supplementary budget bill, stating that it “lacks fundamental measures to protect people’s livelihoods from the weak yen and the high cost of living and measures to rebuild the country’s economy.”

Iwabuchi stated that cutting the consumption tax rate, which the general public desires, is the most effective measure against soaring prices. She demanded that the tax burden be reduced to 5% from the current 10% and that the consumption tax-invoice system be abolished.

She pointed out, “The supplementary budget includes the largest-ever military expenditure of 847.2 billion yen. With this addition, the total military budget will reach eleven trillion yen,” and continued, “If Japan raises its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP as demanded by U.S. President Trump, it is clear that both people’s livelihoods and Japan’s national finances will suffer.”