Finance minister seeks cooperation for March budget passage

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama urged cooperation for the early passage of the 2026 budget, warning of significant impact on public life if delayed. The House of Representatives Budget Committee held ministry-specific deliberations. Opposition parties advocated for a provisional budget first, but Katayama expressed reservations, emphasizing the need for the full budget's passage this month. The ruling party proposed passing the budget through the lower house by March 13. Opposition member Kazuya Kondo criticized the timeline as forceful and disrespectful to the Diet, reiterating the call for a provisional budget.