The House of Representatives approved a package of bills Thursday designed to limit the growth in spending on medical-care benefits as part of the government's overall medical reforms.
The bills, supported by the Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner New Komeito at a plenary session of the Lower House, will be sent to the Upper House for enactment during the current Diet session.
The bills call for increasing the financial burden on elderly patients and aim to reduce the number of patients with lifestyle-related diseases.