The Lower House on Tuesday approved a ¥2.71 trillion ($25 billion) extra spending plan for fiscal 2017 through March, to step up investment in human resources and boost disaster relief and prevention efforts.
The government aims to spend around ¥482 billion to expand child care support and boost the country's low productivity under the supplementary budget, which still needs approval from the Upper House.
Roughly half of the total, ¥1.26 trillion, will go to public works and other programs to cope with natural disasters.
Part of the extra budget will also be used to enhance ballistic missile defense capabilities due to the threat from North Korea, and to make the agriculture sector more competitive before free trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership take effect.