FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi -- This city in the central Japan prefecture of Yamanashi will hand out 100,000 yen in cash to people aged 18 and younger, instead of the central government's request to distribute the money as cash and coupons, its mayor announced on December 8.
The government's policy of distributing 50,000 yen in cash and 50,000 yen in coupons as a general rule was criticized by Fujiyoshida Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi, who cited complications that would arise from administering coupon handouts.
Mayor Horiuchi said at a Dec. 8 regular press conference that cash handouts are preferable with the important assumption that payments are swift and immediately useful. He raised concerns about the administration, including printing, delivery, setting up call centers and choosing establishments where coupons can be used, and said it would mean the central government would have to shoulder extra expenses, and the work would become extremely complicated for local governments. The mayor said that the city will finish distributing 50,000 yen cash handouts by the end of the year, and complete conveyancing of the remaining half by the end of March 2022, in line with the national government's planned coupon distribution period. The town government said 6,830 residents aged 18 or younger are eligible for the payments.
After the press conference, a senior city official said that coupon distribution takes considerable time, and it's possible that distribution can't be completed within the fiscal year. The national government's position was criticized by the official, who said it was not clear if it was vaccine or handouts or if it had vague instructions. They don't think about the struggles of the local governments on the ground. They said that local governments are responsible for deciding between cash distributions and cash-and-couple handouts. They also demanded that the government give instructions to local governments by deciding on an across-the- board, nationwide policy, stating: I think the government's way of handling this is unfair.