TOKYO: Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe pledged yesterday he would not keep stimulus spending “forever” in a policy speech ahead of a budget that will raise more in taxes than it does from borrowing.
Abe’s plan to overturn four years in which the majority of money the government spends is raised from selling bonds came as an opinion poll showed he has enjoyed a boost in popularity since coming to power last month.
“We can’t continue fiscal spending forever,” he told parliament at the opening of a new session. “We will draw up and implement a growth strategy that will see private investment and consumption grow sustainably.”
“The greatest and most urgent challenge for our country is revival of the economy. We can’t exit from deflation and from a high yen by keeping the past measures. Therefore I present a bold policy package,” he said.
The policy speech comes after his government announced a $226.5bn stimulus package earlier this month, raising concerns over the level of Japan’s already-towering public debt.
In his first policy speech, Abe repeated his “three arrows” of economy policy: aggressive monetary easing, flexible fiscal spending and a growth strategy that would induce private investment.
Japan’s budget for fiscal 2013 starting April will likely stand at 92.61 trillion yen ($1.05 trillion), with revenue estimated at 43.10 trillion yen and new bond issuance at 42.85 trillion yen — the first time in four years revenue surpasses new bond issuance, newspapers reported yesterday.
AFP
