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On April 18, DPJ Policy Research Committee Chair Koichiro Gemba held separate meetings with the policy research chiefs of the LDP and Komeito inside the Diet building, and discussed the handling of the first supplementary budget, as well as opinions regarding the second supplementary budget.
In the meetings, Gemba explained that the DPJ would agree to calls from both parties for the addition of funding for earthquake-proofing of schools and of financial assistance for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as for a proposed cut in ODA to be halved, and that work would start to submit the supplementary budget and related legislation to the Diet on April 28.
With regard to the second supplementary budget, Gemba proposed the following, (1) With regard to reviewing expenditure cuts, discussions should take place between the ruling and opposition parties at an early date on the format of the child allowance system and other issues, and the results should be reflected in the supplementary budget, (2) Revenue would be found by cutting funds for already established projects, as well as by issuing reconstruction and revitalization bonds (tentative name). These bonds would be managed separately from regular government bonds, and the funding for their redemption would be discussed between the ruling and opposition parties, with a conclusion to be reached by the time of drafting the second supplementary budget, (3) The proportion of basic pension payments to be borne by the state for fiscal 2011 would be one half, and it would be specified in the legislation that the shortfall would be paid back into pension funds in future years. This having been done, the resulting 2.49 trillion yen gained from reducing the proportion of pension payments borne by the state would be used for disaster response.
With regard to a proposal from the LDP that procedures for enacting a basic law for disaster reconstruction should take place simultaneously, Gemba expressed the intention to enact such legislation along with the first supplementary budget, saying, “We will do our utmost to ensure that a Diet members’ bill can be proposed simultaneously.”
Following the meetings, Gemba spoke to members of the press. He stressed, “There is no talk of ruling and opposition parties when it comes to disaster reconstruction. This is not about political manoeuvring. We intend to cooperate fully on those important themes where cooperation is needed for the sake of the victims of the disaster.”
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