Japan plans record $1.03 trln budget, struggles to contain virus, debt

  • 12/17/2020
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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s government plans a record-high $1.03 trillion budget for the next fiscal year, boosted by its coronavirus response and rising welfare and military spending, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday. The proposed 106.6 trillion-yen budget for the fiscal year beginning in April 2021 will be endorsed by the cabinet on Monday, the sources said. They spoke anonymously because they weren’t authorised to talk to media. The new budget comes a week after a third extra budget was decided to combat the effects of the coronavirus. Both budgets will be rolled out together as a 15-month budget aimed at seamless spending to help the economy recover from its COVID-19-induced slump. The budget plan underscored the challenge Japan faced in containing COVID-19 infections and keeping the economy on track for a moderate recovery from the deep slump it suffered earlier this year. Saddled with the industrial world’s heaviest public debt at twice the size of its $5 trillion economy, Japan is struggling to proceed with fiscal reform. The three extra stimulus budgets compiled this fiscal year will boost overall government spending to 176 trillion yen, or 1.7 times the initial budget. New borrowing will be pushed to a record 112 trillion yen. Reflecting slumping corporate profits amid the virus crisis, next fiscal year’s tax revenue is estimated at around 57.5 trillion yen, versus 63.5 trillion yen initially expected this fiscal year.

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