防衛費１３００億円使い残し　増税方針に疑問の声も

　林芳正官房長官は１０日の記者会見で、政府の２０２３年度決算について、防衛力の抜本的強化をうたって予算計上したものの使わなかった防衛費の「不用額」が１３００億円程度に上る見込みだと明らかにした。防衛費は削減の余地があるとして防衛増税に疑問の声が出る可能性もある。
　林長官は契約額や人件費が予定を下回ったのが要因だと指摘。「予算に対する不用率は、過去と比べて必ずしも大きくない」と述べ、２３年度予算の査定に問題はなかったと説明した。（2024/07/10-17:52）

Japan is believed to have left unused about 130 billion yen that it had earmarked for defense spending in fiscal 2023, which ended last March, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Wednesday.
   The leftover funds show that there may be room for cuts in defense spending, casting doubt on the government's plan to raise taxes to finance a boost in the country's defense capabilities.
   Hayashi told a press conference that the leftovers were caused by lower-than-expected contracting and labor costs.
   He said there were no issues in the government's assessment of budget requests, pointing out that the ratio of leftover funds to the whole budget is not necessarily larger in fiscal 2023 than in the past.
   "Drastically strengthening defense capabilities is an urgent task to protect the lives and peaceful livelihoods of citizens," Hayashi said. He stressed the need to raise taxes, arguing that it is "important to secure a stable source of funding."