Japanese Lawmakers’ Salary to Be Reduced by 10 Percent

Japanese newspapers reported on the 16th that the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided to decrease the salary of lawmakers by 10 percent from April for a year in order to share the burden of organizational reformation. The salary of Japanese lawmakers has not been reduced for 50 years since the War.

LDP pledged to reduce the salary of lawmakers by 10 percent at the campaign for the 2000 election, but the reduction is limited to 1 year due to in-house protest that it is difficult to collect political fund because of the recent economic slump.

LDP is expected to submit the revised bill at the plenary session which begins on the 21st, and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan also agreed to the action.

Young-Ee Lee yes202@donga.com