Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning measures to ease the impact of inflation on consumers that draw on policies already incorporated in the current and upcoming fiscal year budgets.

"The Prime Minister didn’t intend to say we’re rolling out new budget spending,” government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Tuesday. "Rather we’re going to fully utilize the policies outlined in this year’s additional budget and next year’s initial budget.”

Hayashi was addressing local media reports saying Ishiba intends to roll out "powerful” price relief measures after the initial budget for the upcoming fiscal year is approved by parliament.

The government spokesman pointed to a range of existing policy efforts, including cash handouts to low-income households and regional governments, and releasing emergency rice stockpiles to curb soaring rice prices.

While no new spending appears to be planned, Ishiba’s comments on the price measures likely had the upcoming summer general election in mind. The cost of living crunch has been a major challenge for Ishiba’s minority government, fueling public discontent over the ruling parties’ handling of economic policies while strengthening opposition parties’ calls for spending and tax cuts.

Japan’s consumer prices rose slightly more than expected in February, despite government energy subsidies helping to slow utility cost increases. Food prices rose by more than 7% for the second month in February, as a result of the weak yen and unfavorable weather conditions.

A weekend poll by Kyodo News showed Ishiba’s approval rating hitting a record low of 27.6%. The drop was partly linked to Ishiba’s admission that he distributed shopping vouchers worth ¥100,000 ($672) to some newly elected ruling party lawmakers.