Overview
- The cabinet approved a FY2026 general account budget totaling ¥122.3 trillion, setting the framework for next year’s national priorities.
- The government said it will create a new Disaster Agency within 2026 and signaled the need for at least two regional hubs in the Hokkaido–Tohoku area while prioritizing establishment of the headquarters.
- An inaugural ministerial meeting convened to ensure stable imports of essential goods such as LNG and wheat, with a policy package to be set by next summer.
- Social and health measures in the package include a ¥348 million increase for Minamata disease care allowances, an annual ¥530,000 cap for average‑income households under the high‑cost medical system, and a 2.22% overall rise in medical fees.
- Education reforms advance with ¥5.7 billion for shifting junior‑high club activities to community organizations, alongside earlier supplementary funding that more than doubles the program’s effective scale.