The Fiscal System Council, an advisory body to the Minister of Finance, has begun discussions on the draft budget for next fiscal year, FY2023.

This year, the main points of discussion will be the areas of defense that the government aims to strengthen within five years.

The Fiscal System Council, which proposes the state of the national budget, held a meeting on the 26th and started discussions on the draft budget for the next fiscal year.



At the meeting on the 26th, the main points of discussion from the Ministry of Finance side were:


▽"Defense" that the government will drastically strengthen within five years,


▽"Children's policy" such as enhancing support for families raising children,


▽Business and society


Three areas of

"GX = Green Transformation" that will support the decarbonization of the world were explained.



Regarding defense, the person in charge of the Ministry of Finance does not discuss the budget of the Ministry of Defense alone. I explained that we should create a new framework for cooperation.



In response, members of the committee expressed the opinion that ``it is important to eliminate duplication of expenditures between the Ministry of Defense and other ministries and agencies, and to have fiscal leeway to devote to defense.'' , it is necessary to visualize the details of defense spending.”



The Fiscal System Council will continue to hold discussions on the budget for each area, and plans to compile recommendations in late November.

Deputy Chairman Hiroya Masuda ``Considering the content, scale, and financial resources of defense capabilities as a trinity''

Hiroya Masuda, Deputy Chairman of the Fiscal System Council, commented on defense spending, which is a focus of budget formulation, saying, ``Looking at other countries, the budget of the Ministry of Defense is not the only defense capability, and we should have a proper discussion going forward. In addition, defense spending is not a temporary expense, but an expense that is being spent on a regular basis, and it is necessary to consider the content, scale, and financial resources of defense capabilities in a three-pronged manner." indicated that it is important.