(Update 2) Tokyo to Waive Basic Water Fees for Summer

   Tokyo, May 20 (Jiji Press)--The Tokyo metropolitan government will waive basic water supply charges for all general households in the Japanese capital for four months this summer to cushion the impact of inflation, Governor Yuriko Koike said Tuesday.
   By reducing residents' spending on utility bills during the season, in which intense heat is forecast, the metropolitan government also hopes to encourage the use of air conditioners to prevent heatstroke.
   The metropolitan government will submit a supplementary budget bill that features 36.8 billion yen in necessary costs for the program to a regular session of its assembly to be convened in June.
   "We will make it (basic water supply fee) free of charge as a temporary measure only for this summer," Koike told reporters at the metropolitan government office. "We want to create an environment in which Tokyo residents can live with peace of mind," she added.
   Water bills in Tokyo comprise fixed basic fees and variable charges depending on usage amount. Fixed basic fees are charged based on the size of water pipes. For general households, the monthly basic fee for a 13-millimeter pipe is 860 yen, that for a 20-millimeter pipe 1,170 yen and that for a 25-millimeter pipe 1,460 yen.

(2025/05/20-18:47)