(Update) Japan's Parliament Starts Deliberations on Pension Reform

   Tokyo, May 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan's parliament began deliberations on public pension reform legislation on Tuesday.
   Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told lawmakers at the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, that the government will take steps to increase basic pension benefits after a review of pension finances in 2029.
   The government has been under fire from opposition lawmakers for dropping plans to raise basic pension benefits. Initially, it had considered tapping reserves of "kosei nenkin" pension for corporate and government workers to finance an increase in basic pension benefits.
   While recognizing the need to secure future basic pension benefits, Ishiba said, "We've decided not to include a concrete scheme in the legislation as there are some opinions that say tapping kosei nenkin reserves would be a misuse of them."
   The legislation includes measures to expand the enrollment of part-time and other nonregular workers in the kosei nenkin program.

(2025/05/20-20:54)

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