Japan’s government and ruling party reportedly consider distributing cash to all citizens. The initiative aims to mitigate the impact of rising inflation and counter the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the United States.
According to The Asahi Shimbun, the government is examining a proposal to provide 50,000 JPY (approximately $335) to every individual, regardless of income. This cash transfer is part of a broader economic strategy to offset the adverse effects of U.S. tariff measures.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has described the tariff situation as a “national crisis,” highlighting the severity of the issue. The government is planning these subsidies in anticipation of the prolonged consequences of the high tariffs. To finance the initiative, officials intend to draft a supplementary budget, which is expected to pass in the National Diet by the end of the June session.
In response to mounting economic pressures from high inflation and U.S. tariffs, Japan established a government-wide task force to devise appropriate countermeasures the previous day. With the upcoming House of Councillors election this summer, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is leading the cash support initiative.
Meanwhile, coalition partner Komeito is advocating for increasing the support amount to as much as 100,000 JPY (around $670).
