Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s government is considering a cash handout program giving 100,000 yen ($933) each for all people to support their economic impact due to the new coronavirus crisis.
During a meeting, on Wednesday, at the prime minister’s office, the leader of the political party Komeito Natsuo Yamaguchi requested to Prime Minister to consider a cash handout program, as a “strong message” to the nation.
“Since a state of emergency was declared by the government (on April 7), we’ve entered a different phase, its impact on the economy and society spreading further,” Yamaguchi said and added to the media, “It’s important the Japanese people get the message that (the government) is ready to respond to do anything it can in a speedy manner,”.
Similar plan
Meanwhile, the secretary-general of Abe‘s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Toshihiro Nikari, has expressed a similar idea to distribute per person 100,000 yen, but with some limiting restrictions depending on people’s income levels.
The Japanese government has already decided to support households’ economy with 300,000 yen after their income drops due to the spread of the new coronavirus, as part of the nation’s largest-ever 108 trillion yen economic stimulus package. But in terms of which households are eligible are not so clear, some critics said.
Source: Kyodo News