Japan PM Kishida pledges to ease burden of higher energy costs

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday that he broadly confirmed with the head of coalition partner Komeito measures to ease rising electricity, gas and gasoline prices as part of an economic package to be compiled this month.

Speaking to reporters, Kishida also said the size of support for rising electricity costs would be on par with expected price increases next spring.

The government aims to implement steps to cope with rising electricity prices as soon as January, he added.

The premier also vowed the government will continue gasoline subsidies from January and beyond.

"We want to compile bold economic package in both contents and the size," Kishida told reporters.

Japanese policymakers have so far remained coy about the likely size of the expected stimulus spending, although some lawmakers have called for figures around 30 trillion yen ($203 billion). The government plans to compile an extra budget to finance the measures.