Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday pledged to take steps "without hesitation" to help businesses struggling to pay rents amid the prolonged outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

"More measures would be needed if the coronavirus crisis is further prolonged," Abe said in a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

"In that case, we'll do what we should without hesitation," Abe said, indicating the government's readiness to help ease the burdens on tenants hit hard by the fallout of the pandemic.

Abe made the remarks in response to a question by Fumio Kishida, policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The Budget Committee met for discussions on the government's draft supplementary budget for fiscal 2020.

Kishida proposed having the government shoulder fixed costs, including rents, for small businesses that borrow zero-interest loans from state-affiliated lenders. "The government will seriously take the outcome of the party's discussions," Abe replied.

Abe also called for speedy procedures for the payment of employment adjustment subsidies, which are designed to cover costs at companies paying leave allowances to employees. Complicated paperwork related to the subsidies has come under criticism.

Meanwhile, Yukio Edano, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, urged the government to refrain from implementing aid worth 1,679.4 billion yen for the tourism and food service industries, which is included in the draft supplementary budget.

"It's not urgent," Edano said. But Abe rejected the request, saying it is politicians' job to show that making a turnaround after the end of the crisis is possible.

The extra budget is slated to be approved by the Lower House and sent to the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, on Wednesday. The Upper House is expected to pass the budget for enactment on Thursday.

JIJI Press