The House of Representatives Budget Committee held a central public hearing to hear opinions from experts on the new fiscal year budget bill, and in the afternoon, four experts recommended by each party gave their opinions on issues such as measures to combat the declining birthrate.
Reon Takahisa, an associate professor at Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Economics, who was nominated by the Liberal Democratic Party, commented on co-payments for medical expenses, saying, ``Academic papers have shown that reducing co-payments for the elderly leads to improved health. "It can be assumed that the co-payments are the same regardless of age, and by creating a system that reduces the burden depending on conditions, this can be linked to spending reform in a way that makes sense."
Wataru Suzuki, a professor at Gakushuin University, who was recommended by the Japan Restoration Society and the Society for Achieving Free Education, said of the support system that is collected through public medical insurance as a source of funds to counter the declining birthrate: ``Social insurance is medical care, In the case of nursing care, the principle is that nursing care, benefits, and burdens are linked, but this is not the case with childcare support.The support subsidy system could destroy the social insurance system and should be reconsidered.New tax systems and insurance to cover the burden of childcare should be reconsidered. One way is to make them."
Mr. Shumitsu Sato, a professor at Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Economics, who was nominated by Komeito, said of fiscal policy, ``Finances must be expanded in times of emergency, but what is important is that once normal times return, Japan should return to normal.'' Japan's public finances are like a car that has an accelerator but no brakes.It's not that policy failures are to blame, but that failures should not be corrected, and we need to thoroughly examine policy effectiveness.'' said.
Kazuhiko Nishizawa, director of the Japan Research Institute, who was recommended by the Democratic Party of Japan, commented on the subsidy system to counter the declining birthrate: ``For the working generation with low annual incomes, the burden of social insurance premiums is heavier than income tax and resident tax. , Is it okay to add more support money?It makes sense because there is a link between the burden and the benefit.Taxes are fairer.''