The government on Tuesday decided an additional spending of ¥138.9 billion from its reserve funds under its fiscal 2024 budget to support areas hit by the Jan. 1 Noto Peninsula earthquake.

This will be the fourth round of spending from the state reserve funds for the quake-affected areas in central Japan, bringing the total to over ¥400 billion.

"To accelerate the restoration and reconstruction of afflicted areas further, the government will make full efforts to help rebuild the lives and businesses of affected people," Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki told a news conference.

This time, the government will use ¥68.3 billion mainly for the construction of temporary housing, ¥64.7 billion for the restoration of civil engineering and public facilities, ¥4.4 billion to support affected agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, and ¥1.6 billion for projects to reinforce welfare and elderly care services.

The government has so far spent ¥276.7 billion for the affected areas mainly from its reserve funds since the temblor occurred.

Its fiscal 2024 general-account budget includes ¥1 trillion for the reserve funds, doubled from the initially planned level following the disaster.