Japan PM Ishiba Says Government to Reconsider Medical Expense Cap Hike Plan

From Jiji

February 28 2025

TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that his government will reconsider its plan to raise the ceiling on out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care. 

The government will conduct the first phase of the expense cap hike this August as planned, and make a decision by this autumn on further increases, currently scheduled for August 2026 and later.

Ishiba made the announcement in response to a question from Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, at a meeting of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.

The expense ceiling hike is slated to be conducted in three stages from this year to 2027. The prime minister said his government wants to carry out the hike, but said it plans to reduce the size of increases in 2026 and onward.

“We will decide how to share the burden of the increasing high-cost medical care expenses based on ability, after listening to the opinions of patient groups,” Ishiba said.