Local Japanese municipalities submit 2027 budget proposals

Local political groups and municipal associations in Japan have submitted budget proposals for the 2027 fiscal year to their respective regional leaders.

In Saitama City, the Japanese Communist Party Saitama District Committee and the city council group submitted a request to Mayor Hayato Shimizu. The proposal includes 525 items focused on addressing rising prices, climate change, gender equality, and public transportation. The group emphasized the need to prioritize citizen livelihoods in response to surveys indicating financial hardship and a demand for better public transit.

In Iwate Prefecture, the Prefectural Mayors' Association, representing 14 cities, presented a 36-item proposal to Governor Tatsuaki. Key recommendations include strengthening measures against bear damage through increased capture and population management, as well as expanding medical subsidies for children to include those up to 18 years old regardless of hospitalization status and removing income limits.