マイあさ! 午前6時のNHKニュース 2026年10月17日

Food Products Consumption Tax Cut Bill to Begin Deliberations on October 20

The bill to reduce the consumption tax rate on food products is scheduled to begin deliberations in a Lower House plenary session on Monday, October 20. During Thursday's Upper House Budget Committee session, Hamaguchi (浜口) of the Democratic Party for the People pressed the government on its planned income-based support grants, which would accompany the tax reduction: "Without showing a target income level and threshold, we cannot have a constructive debate." Prime Minister Takaichi (高市) pledged to "explain the bill's content and the thinking and data behind it carefully," but stopped short of specifics, saying it was "difficult to present concrete payment amounts and eligibility requirements."

LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Murai (村井) said the party would "do everything possible to pass all government-submitted bills within the limited session and respond carefully to opposition questioning to win broad understanding." The Diet Affairs Committee Chairman of the Democratic Reform Alliance — the largest opposition bloc in the Lower House — said the ruling and opposition sides hold sharply different positions on whether a tax rate cut or direct payments is the better anti-inflation measure, and called for the public to be the judge. The opposition also continued to call for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Taniai (谷合) to answer questions over his planned resignation, and plans to keep pressing for his appearance as a witness.

Government Studies 5%-of-Sales Grants for Farmers and Fishers

If the bill passes, the food consumption tax rate will drop from 10% to 1% for two years starting April next year. Small and mid-scale farmers and fishers had raised concerns: while the tax they pay on purchases would remain unchanged, the consumption tax they collect on sales would fall sharply, and with no refund mechanism available to them, their profits would be squeezed.

In response, the government is studying grants equivalent to roughly 5% of sales for affected farmers, fishers, and related operators. The figure is derived from calculations based on the impact on standard businesses, with the required budget estimated at approximately ¥200 billion. For restaurant operators — who remain subject to the 10% rate — the government is looking at support for introducing takeout options, which would qualify for the 1% rate. Both measures are to be worked out during the fiscal 2027 budget drafting process toward year-end.

55.8% of University Hospital Doctors Want to Change Jobs

A survey conducted between September and October last year by an association of deans and hospital directors from 82 university hospitals nationwide (1,936 respondents) found that 55.8% said they would like to work at a medical institution other than a university hospital in the future. Only 36.7% said they wished to remain at a university hospital, with 7.6% giving other responses. The top reason for wanting to leave (multiple answers allowed) was "better working conditions" at 63.8%, followed by "higher pay" at 61.0%, and "wanting to work at a regional medical institution" at 37.4%. The group also reported fiscal results showing that national, public, and municipal university hospitals across the country posted a combined deficit of ¥49.3 billion, underscoring continued financial strain.

Japanese Speech Contest Held in Kyiv for First Time in Seven Years

A Japanese speech contest for university students was held in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 16 — the first in seven years. The contest, long suspended due to COVID-19 and the ongoing Russian military invasion, was co-organized by Kyiv National University and an NPO of Ukrainian Japanese-language teachers, and was held in the university's underground shelter. Eleven students who study Japanese participated, each delivering a speech of around five minutes.

Oriha Ihnatenko (19) spoke on the theme of "dreams," saying that "waking up in the morning without hearing air-raid sirens during the night has become one of my dreams" — a frank reflection of wartime reality. Anastasia Kryvonos (20) spoke on the theme of "home," sharing her experience of being unable to return to her hometown in Kherson Oblast after it was occupied by Russian forces. "Having a place where you can say 'I'm home' in peace is by no means something to be taken for granted," she said. "I believe that a day will come when I can say it from the bottom of my heart again."

Former Grand Champion Hakuho Sho Becomes International Sumo Federation President

Former yokozuna Hakuho Sho (白鵬翔) has been appointed president of the International Sumo Federation, the global governing body for amateur sumo. Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments during his active career and, after retiring from the Japan Sumo Association in June last year, devoted himself to promoting amateur sumo internationally and serving as an IFS adviser. He succeeds Toyota Motor Chairman Toyoda Akio (豊田章男) in the role. In a statement, Hakuho said: "While cherishing sumo's traditions, spirit, and values, I want to convey sumo's appeal to more countries and regions around the world and pass it on to children and the younger generation. It is my mission to unite the world across differences of nation, culture, and language."

Exchange Rates, Markets, and Weather

The yen was trading at ¥157.99–158.04 to the dollar and ¥177.55–177.61 to the euro. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 175.28 points, while the Nasdaq dropped 572.99 points to close at 26,140.034. A high-pressure system will bring clear skies across wide areas of Japan. Western and eastern Japan may see temperatures approaching 30°C — September-like warmth — while strong winds will persist in Hokkaido. Residents of the Nansei Islands and Amami region should watch for rain and thunderstorms. Typhoon No. 35 is forecast to advance toward the seas south of Okinawa as an extremely powerful storm around Thursday next week; its subsequent track remains uncertain, and the public is urged to monitor updates closely.