Japan gov't shelves cash handout plan amid low public support

The Japanese government has scrapped plans to issue cash handouts to all residents to offset inflation and U.S. tariffs, citing low public support and political challenges ahead of this summer’s parliamentary election. 💬 Originally proposed by the ruling LDP and Komeito coalition, the plan aimed to provide ¥30,000–¥50,000 per person, but surveys showed over half of the public opposed it without income limits. Instead, the government will tap emergency reserves to support utility and fuel subsidies. PM Shigeru Ishiba, leading a minority government, is also cautious about extending the Diet session with a new supplementary budget.