TOKYO, Nov 8 — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to cut the salaries of her Cabinet members and her own, as part of efforts to show her government’s commitment to reform.
The plan involves revising the public servant remuneration law during the ongoing parliamentary session to suspend additional allowances for the prime minister and other Cabinet members, The Japan Times reported today.
“I’ll work on a law revision so that [cabinet members] do not receive pay exceeding lawmakers’ salaries,” Takaichi was quoted as saying at her inaugural news conference back in October.
According to The Japan Times, lawmakers currently earn ¥1.294 million (about RM41,400) a month, with the prime minister receiving an extra ¥1.152 million and ministers ¥489,000.
However, existing reforms already see the prime minister returning 30 per cent of her pay and ministers taking a 20 per cent cut.
“Takaichi’s plan to cut the salaries of Cabinet members is wonderful,” Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fumitake Fujita was quoted as saying as he welcomed the move.
But not everyone is on board.
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, criticised the decision as “a symbol of the deflationary mindset”.
“I have mixed feelings,” one unnamed Cabinet member told The Japan Times.
