Japan's Finance Minister Katayama Announces Unlimited Investment Budget, Kuwait Sets Strict Spending Caps

Japan's Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki said the cabinet approved a new "strong and prosperous Japan investment" framework that removes any ceiling on budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year. The plan allows ministries to request the amounts they need, increases discretionary spending by up to 20% and permits an additional ¥3.9 trillion for social‑security programs, aiming to move away from reliance on supplemental budgets.

Kuwait's Ministry of Finance issued a circular for the 2027/2028 fiscal year that bars ministries and government bodies from submitting extra budget requests after their draft budgets are presented. The directive reinforces a cabinet decision prohibiting supplementary financial requests, emphasizing fiscal discipline, tighter expenditure control, revenue enhancement and better management of public assets.