Japan Aims to Spur Growth with Crisis Management Investment

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan will promote economic growth through crisis management investment, economic and fiscal policy minister Minoru Kiuchi said in a parliamentary speech Friday.

Kiuchi said that the biggest mission of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is to realize a strong economy.

Stressing that expediting crisis management investment, which is effective in enhancing economic security, is a pillar of a growth strategy, he said that the government will "ensure safety and security, and raise the nation's potential growth rate by increasing jobs and income."

Kiuchi noted that Japan is at a crossroads as to whether it can create a growth-oriented economy. He also underlined the importance of reinforcing the country's supply structure through strategic fiscal spending at a time when the Japanese economy's potential growth rate has long remained at or below 1 pct.

Concerning the government's next basic economic and fiscal management and reform guidelines, Kiuchi showed plans to promote discussions on state budgets under a policy of earmarking all necessary funds under initial budgets, not on the premise of drawing up supplementary budgets.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]