Society

Kishida unveils emergency package to tackle rising prices

Apr 27 (NHK) - Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he will implement a package of emergency policies aimed at tackling rising prices.

Kishida said at a news conference on Tuesday that he wants to pass a supplementary budget bill in the current Diet session to enable the continuation of measures to deal with surging crude oil prices. He stressed that he will do his utmost to protect peoples' wellbeing.

The prime minister said surging prices of crude oil and other goods must not hamper efforts to revive social and economic activities in the wake of toll taken by the coronavirus pandemic. He said the government will take steps to deal with rising prices of crude oil and commodities such as wheat caused by the situation in Ukraine.

He said he plans to have the Cabinet approve the use of reserve funds by the end of the month, so that support measures can be implemented swiftly.

Under the emergency package, Kishida said the price of gasoline that would set off steps to curb further rises will be lowered from around 172 yen per liter to 168 yen. He said subsidies for gasoline wholesalers will also be expanded. Kishida said the government will provide 50,000 yen, or about 390 dollars, per child for low-income households.

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