The government has requested ¥35.3 billion for public relations in the fiscal 2027 budget, about four times the previous year's ¥8.6 billion, in its budget requests submitted for the next fiscal year.
The request cites social media and AI-driven information gathering, which the government says leaves some people unreached by information on its key policies. It also points to cognitive warfare — influence operations that use disinformation to sway domestic opinion — as a growing threat. The aim, the request states, is to diversify the means of communicating key policies and strengthen outreach at home and abroad.
Of the total for the Cabinet Office and the Cabinet Public Affairs Office combined, about ¥20.9 billion is for domestic audiences and about ¥14.2 billion for overseas audiences. The Cabinet Public Affairs Office, which handles messaging led by the Prime Minister's Office, requested ¥7.2 billion, roughly ten times its previous ¥700 million.
Within that office's request, ¥6.6 billion is for producing public relations content on key policies, and ¥500 million for strengthening international outreach and countering cognitive warfare.
Domestic messaging
Domestic content will cover the Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform — the government's annual "honebuto" framework — along with economic security, the social security system, and public safety. The government plans to hire broadcast writers, video producers and other private-sector specialists to make videos and other material for social media aimed at people who do not follow the news.
Traditional channels will also get more money. The request says newspapers and TV are more reliable than information on the internet, and proposes full-page advertisements in national and local papers and nationwide broadcasts of government public relations programs.
Overseas outreach
Abroad, the government plans to deepen cooperation with foreign think tanks so that its positions are understood accurately. It also intends to have government officials make their case directly overseas and to sharply increase the volume of foreign-language material on key policies.
The budget request comes after criticism of the tenfold increase for the Cabinet Public Affairs Office. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has denied that the spending amounts to "government propaganda," saying it is needed to strengthen messaging, and a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, Taira, said the government can only push back with advertising money.
The government's overall budget requests for fiscal 2027 have topped ¥130 trillion for the first time, a fourth straight record.