Japan. Abe survives censure motion by opposition over pension report
A censure motion against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe submitted by opposition parties over his finance minister’s refusal to accept a report suggesting pensions are inadequate for most retirees was voted down in the House of Councillors on Monday.
The motion was submitted last Friday as opposition parties launched a last-minute offensive before the end of the current Diet session Wednesday and an upper house election in July to take issue with the Abe government’s reluctance to address public concerns about the sustainability of the public pension system.
The motion criticized the government’s “arrogant political stance that takes the people and the Diet lightly,” saying “the situation is so serious that it cannot be tolerated.”
Finance Minister Taro Aso’s blocking of the report was “a clear reflection of the prime minister’s political attitude,” it said. A panel of experts estimated in the report that an average retired couple would face a shortfall of 20 million yen under the current pension system if they live to be 95 years old.
Read more @Japan today
