Overview
- The government is preparing to restart household electricity and gas support for January–March 2026, targeting a total of roughly ¥6,000 per average household.
- Support in the coldest months is slated to be heavier, with January and February each expected to exceed ¥2,000 per household, though final figures are still being negotiated.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told the Upper House budget committee the aid will be raised “a little” to help households through the harsh winter.
- The winter plan follows July–September 2025 subsidies that averaged about ¥1,000 per month, meaning peak-month assistance would be roughly double the summer level.
- Expanding energy relief is contributing to a supplementary budget whose general-account outlays are projected to surpass FY2024’s ¥13.9 trillion, lifting cumulative energy subsidies from about ¥4.5688 trillion toward ¥5 trillion.