来年度予算、特別枠４．４兆円　概算要求基準を閣議了解

　政府は７日の臨時閣議で、２０２２年度予算の編成に向け各省庁が要求する際のルールとなる概算要求基準を了解した。菅義偉政権が重点政策に掲げる脱炭素化といった成長分野を対象とする特別枠は、少なくとも４兆４０００億円規模となる。総額の上限は示さず、要求総額は８年連続で１００兆円を超える見通しだ。
　高齢化などに伴う社会保障費の自然増は６６００億円と見込む。団塊の世代が７５歳以上の後期高齢者になり始め、医療や介護の費用が膨らむため。年金・医療などの社会保障費は２１年度予算の３３兆７０００億円に自然増分を加えた金額まで要求を認める。新型コロナウイルス対策で財政状況が悪化する中、年末までの予算編成過程でいかに自然増を抑制するかが課題となる。（2021/07/07-19:43）

The Japanese government on Wednesday released budget request guidelines for fiscal 2022, including a plan to set up a special spending quota of at least 4.4 trillion yen for growth fields such as carbon reductions.
   Government agencies will be given until the end of August to file budget requests for the year that begins next April. The total amount of requests is expected to surpass 100 trillion yen for the eighth consecutive year.
   The government estimates a natural increase of 660 billion yen in social security spending. Costs for medical and nursing services for the elderly are expected to swell as baby boomers begin to reach 75 in fiscal 2022.
   For social security spending, government agencies will be allowed to demand up to the sum of the natural increase plus the 33.7 trillion yen earmarked under the fiscal 2021 budget.
   The government faces the challenge of curbing the natural increase during the budget compilation process later this year at a time when the fiscal situation is deteriorating due to spending on COVID-19 relief measures.