Key economic ministers put the compilation of an extra budget for fiscal 2002 on the political agenda Tuesday but maintained an official decision has yet to be made.
"If the disposal of nonperforming loans is to be truly accelerated, safety net measures will become necessary, and they should be prepared to use an extra budget," Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said.
Asked whether a schedule has been set for compiling the supplementary budget, Shiokawa said, "That has not been decided yet."