Liaison Meeting of the Government and Ruling Parties

On January 9, 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi attended a Liaison Meeting of the Government and Ruling Parties at the Prime Minister’s Office.

In her opening remarks, the Prime Minister said:

“Once again, Happy New Year. First of all, with regard to the FY2025 supplementary budget that passed the Diet by the end of last year thanks to the efforts of the members of the ruling parties, it is important for the people to feel the effects of the Takaichi Cabinet’s measures to address rising prices, in other words, security in their daily lives. To this end, we are working on the swift execution of the budget on a government-wide basis.

On December 26, 2025, we approved a draft initial budget for FY2026 at a Cabinet meeting. While incorporating significant ‘investments’ for the future, including the implementation of ‘initiatives aimed at making education effectively free’ from April this year, we were also able to keep the level of reliance on government bonds in the FY2026 budget below that of the FY2025 initial budget. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for a number of proposals from the members of the ruling parties in formulating the draft budget. At the same time, I ask for your continued cooperation as we strive for the passage of the FY2026 budget and various other bills, such as tax reform, during the ordinary Diet session.

Moreover, by the end of this month, we will launch a National Council that will include not only the Government and the ruling parties, but also members of the opposition parties. We intend to advance discussions on the ‘comprehensive reform of social security and taxation systems,’ including designing a system of ‘refundable tax credits,’ with a sense of speed. Hence, I would like to request your support in this regard. On the diplomatic front, we will welcome President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea next week. Following that, I will meet with Prime Minister Meloni of Italy.

I would appreciate the continued support from the members of the ruling parties again this year. Thank you very much as always.”