After weeks of negotiations, the ruling coalition has clinched a deal with opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai on education reform and social insurance in exchange for its support for the minority government’s fiscal 2025 budget –– effectively ensuring its approval in the Lower House.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who heads the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito and Nippon Ishin chief Hirofumi Yoshimura will announce the three parties’ agreement in parliament on Tuesday evening.
The deal is expected to lead to an increase in government spending on public and private education from April, slash its annual health insurance costs by ¥4 trillion ($26.8 billion) a year and result in savings of ¥60,000 for each working adult every year from fiscal 2026 — two longstanding policies championed by Nippon Ishin.
