THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
May 21, 2025 at 14:10 JST
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike explains the free basic water charge policy at the Tokyo metropolitan government’s building in Shinjuku Ward on May 20. (Ryo Yamagishi)
In an unprecedented move to prevent heatstroke, basic water charges for all households in Tokyo will be free for four months starting in June or July, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said May 20.
A supplementary budget bill that includes 36.8 billion yen ($256 million) to cover the costs of the plan will be proposed at a Tokyo metropolitan assembly session in June.
About 8 million households will benefit from the policy, especially during the sweltering summer months, the metropolitan government said.
“We are worried that people might refrain from using their air conditioners because they are concerned about living expenses,” Koike said. “We considered what we could do to help households pay their bills.”
This is the first time a prefectural government in Japan will waive basic water charges.
The basic charges in Tokyo are set between 860 yen and 1,460 yen per month, depending on the diameter of the water pipe used. Additional fees are tacked on to the charges based on the quantity of water used.
According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, common households using a water pipe of 20 millimeters in diameter will be able to reduce their water bills by about 5,000 yen over the four months.
About 80 percent of households in Tokyo use water pipes of that diameter.
The free-charge program will not apply to cities, villages and islands in Tokyo that are not serviced by the metropolitan government’s Bureau of Waterworks. That is because these areas operate their own water systems.
However, if these municipalities decide to adopt a similar policy, the metropolitan government will cover the costs.
Tokyo metropolitan assembly members of the Liberal Democratic Party, Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites First) and Komeito requested the policy to Koike on May 19.
The Tokyo metropolitan assembly election is scheduled for June.
(This article was written by Naoki Nakayama and Ryo Yamagishi.)
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