TOKYO: A ruling Liberal Democratic Party policymaker expressed willingness on Sunday to work with opposition parties in drawing up a fiscal 2020 supplementary budget to finance an economic package against the new coronavirus epidemic.

"We need to cooperate with opposition parties to compile a budget on a scale that reassures the people," Norihisa Tamura, acting chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council, said on a television program.

Michiyo Takagi, acting policy chief of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the LDP, also stressed the need for the government to put together drastic economic stimulus measures.

Seiji Osaka, policy leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, specifically called for an increase in assistance to child-rearing households, a reduction in public utility chares, a moratorium on tax payments and a cut or exemption of social insurance premiums.

Kenta Izumi, policy chief of the Democratic Party for the People, proposed that the government work out an economic package totaling 30 trillion yen, with 10 trillion yen each spent on tax cut, benefits and lost income compensation.

On calls for a postponement or the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympic Games, Hitoshi Asada, policy chief of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), stressed that the 2020 Games should be held at any cost, saying that the Olympics will be the best economic measure.

Tomoko Tamura, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, demanded a reduction of the consumption tax rate from 10 percent to 5 percent.

JIJI Press