Japan Government Mulls Forgoing Plan to Hike Medical Expense Cap in August

From Jiji

March 7 2025

TOKYO – The Japanese government is considering shelving a plan to raise the ceiling of out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care in August, it was learned Friday.

The move came after cancer patients’ groups and some ruling bloc members opposed the hike, although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had indicated his policy of not changing the plan.

To forgo the hike, the government may have to revise the fiscal 2025 budget bill, currently being deliberated in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament after clearing the House of Representatives, the lower chamber.

A senior Upper House member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has demanded an amendment to the bill.

A senior member of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said that the bill should be revised.