Japan Innovation Party co-leader Maehara Seiji / The current cap on public aid for households with children attending private high school is 396,000 yen, but how would that change?

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru / When considering the additional aid, the national average tuition (for private schools) is 457,000 yen, and we believe that we need to further consider this in addition to securing stable financial resources.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru said at the meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives that he hopes to realize the abolition of the income cap for subsidy for attending private high schools together with securing permanent financial resources.

Ishiba stressed that he hopes to lay out a general framework before lawmakers put together the basic policies for economic and fiscal management for fiscal year 2026.

Ishiba also said that he aims to make elementary school lunches free as soon as possible after fiscal year 2026.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Ishiba, must win the support of opposition parties including the Japan Innovation Party in the budget vote.

However, discussions between the political parties will continue as the Japan Innovation Party seeks to realize other policies such as reducing the burden of social security.