Japanese ruling party official Hakubun Shimomura suggested a plan on Sunday to consider additional economic measures to support the employment market, which has been deteriorating amid the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus.

In a television program, Shimomura, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Policy Research Council, also referred to the possibility of compiling a third supplementary state budget for fiscal 2020.

“As more and more people are losing jobs, removing anxiety through implementing additional economic measures is the most important thing,” he said. As possible measures, Shimomura cited extensions of a benefit scheme for small companies and self-employed people, a special measure under an employment adjustment subsidy program and a rent support program for businesses.

“We will consider compiling a third extra budget” for fiscal 2020 if the amount of money currently set aside as state budget reserves is not sufficient, he said.

On an extraordinary session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, that is seen to be convened in late October, Shimomura said,

“The Diet needs to discuss economic measures to ensure the success of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.” The Summer Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed by one year to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

JIJI P