Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa on Friday called on the Diet to quickly enact the 3 trillion yen supplementary budget so the government can support the flagging economy while pursuing structural reforms.
The extra budget for the current fiscal year, which includes 1 trillion yen for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reform proposals and steps to cushion reform-related pain, was submitted to the Diet earlier in the day.
The government hopes to have the package enacted on Thursday.