A ?13.9 trillion ($91 billion) supplementary budget that includes an economic stimulus package cleared the Lower House on Thursday, following a last-minute deal between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition and opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPP) on raising the tax-free annual income threshold and abolishing a portion of the gasoline tax.
Wednesday¡¯s tripartisan agreement is seen as a political victory for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba¡¯s minority government to work with the DPP in a ¡°partial coalition.¡±
But it also demonstrates how the LDP-Komeito bloc, lacking a majority in the Lower House, is forced to negotiate with the opposition over all legislative proposals, including the budget.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.