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| Japanese government unveils £138bn stimulus package | Japanese government unveils £138bn stimulus package |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The Japanese cabinet has approved a fresh stimulus package of more than 20 trillion yen (£138bn/$224bn), aiming to lift the economy out of recession and create 600,000 new jobs. | The Japanese cabinet has approved a fresh stimulus package of more than 20 trillion yen (£138bn/$224bn), aiming to lift the economy out of recession and create 600,000 new jobs. |
| The prime minister, Shinzo Abe, announced the decision at a news conference where he said the new measures were intended to add 2% to Japan's real economic growth. | The prime minister, Shinzo Abe, announced the decision at a news conference where he said the new measures were intended to add 2% to Japan's real economic growth. |
| Abe urged the central bank to move more aggressively to encourage lending and meet a clear inflation target to break out of the economic doldrums that have plagued Japan for two decades. | Abe urged the central bank to move more aggressively to encourage lending and meet a clear inflation target to break out of the economic doldrums that have plagued Japan for two decades. |
| Abe took office late last month after a parliamentary election victory by the Liberal Democratic party, which is touting public works spending and subsidies to strategically important sectors as part of its plan to revive the economy. | Abe took office late last month after a parliamentary election victory by the Liberal Democratic party, which is touting public works spending and subsidies to strategically important sectors as part of its plan to revive the economy. |
| "Unfortunately the previous administration failed to work out how to boost growth and expand the economic pie," Abe said. "It is vital that we have an economic strategy that can create jobs and raise incomes to sustain growth." | "Unfortunately the previous administration failed to work out how to boost growth and expand the economic pie," Abe said. "It is vital that we have an economic strategy that can create jobs and raise incomes to sustain growth." |
| Abe, who also served as prime minister in 2006-07, has vowed to make reviving the economy his top priority, promising support both to small businesses and big industries such as the auto sector. | |
| The spending package includes 10.3tn yen in extra outlays by the central government. Abe's administration is pledging to spend 19tn yen in 2015 in support for reconstruction of the coastal areas devastated by the March 2011 disasters. | |
| The stimulus deal, which will be the basis for a supplementary budget for the remainder of the fiscal year until 31 March, required wrangling over tax reform and other issues with the Liberal Democrats' coalition partner, the New Komeito. | |
| It also includes a request to raise military spending by 100bn yen from the 4.6tn yen budget last year, the first such increase in a decade. The increase is partly aimed at beefing up monitoring and defences around islands in the East China Sea, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China. A territorial dispute over the uninhabited islands flared into anti-Japanese riots across China last autumn after Japan's central government purchased them from a private owner. | It also includes a request to raise military spending by 100bn yen from the 4.6tn yen budget last year, the first such increase in a decade. The increase is partly aimed at beefing up monitoring and defences around islands in the East China Sea, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China. A territorial dispute over the uninhabited islands flared into anti-Japanese riots across China last autumn after Japan's central government purchased them from a private owner. |
| On the economic front, Abe has urged Japan's central bank to do whatever it takes to meet an inflation target of 2% to counter a persisting cycle of sinking prices and weak demand. | On the economic front, Abe has urged Japan's central bank to do whatever it takes to meet an inflation target of 2% to counter a persisting cycle of sinking prices and weak demand. |
| The change of administration has raised hopes that Abe's more aggressive approach might help Japan escape recession. | The change of administration has raised hopes that Abe's more aggressive approach might help Japan escape recession. |