To the relief of the Hatoyama administration, the fiscal 2010 budget was passed by the Lower House on Tuesday. It was immediately sent to the Upper House, but it is certain to be executed from April 1, the first day of fiscal 2010. Under the Constitution, if the Upper House does not approve the budget within 30 days, the Lower House decision prevails and, given the current balance of power, opposition parties have no chance of forcing changes in such a short time.
The ¥92.29 trillion budget, the largest ever, includes record-high bond issuance of ¥44.30 trillion. Public works spending will be slashed by 18.3 percent, while social security spending will rise by 9.8 percent. The Lower House failed to sufficiently discuss the content of the budget, devoting too much time to political funding irregularities involving Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. The Upper House should devise a way to ensure sufficient discussion takes place on both the budget and the money-politics issues.
The DPJ will try to divert people's attention from the problems of Mr. Hatoyama and Mr. Ozawa by enlivening Diet discussions on bills for its campaign promises, such as to introduce a new child allowance and make tuition at public high schools virtually free. But the funding irregularities involving DPJ Lower House member Chiyomi Kobayashi seem sure to cause further torment.