Japan PM Suga more likely to call up snap election after Tokyo Olympics: Report
03 June, 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is likely to call simple election after the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Game titles, a media report said, showing his resolve to push in advance with the Games regardless of the country's struggle to support the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal government is considering crafting a fresh economic stimulus package prior to the expected snap election, the Asahi newspaper said on Thursday (Jun 3), citing several anonymous ruling party executives.
Suga decided on Wednesday with the top of his ruling coalition partner not to extend the existing parliament program when it closes on Jun 16, according to media reports.
That means Japan will forgo compiling a supplementary budget for now and tap almost 4 trillion yen (US$36.50 billion) left in reserves to pay for immediate spending to fight the pandemic, the Asahi explained.
"It's obvious we will be in need of an extra budget, but parliament is closing as a result we don't have period to pass it," ruling get together lawmaker Shoji Nishida told Reuters last week.
"But there should be debate within the party on the subject of compiling another stimulus bundle and a supplementary budget," he said.
Government officials weren't immediately available to comment on the Asahi report.
Suga has said he'd focus on working with the pandemic, and that Japan might go ahead with the Games under strict virus-protection steps.
Some ruling party lawmakers possess called on the federal government to boost spending to revive an economy strike by brand-new state of emergency curbs to avoid the spread of the virus.
Gradual vaccine rollouts and good open public opposition to holding the Video games have resulted in a plunge on Suga's support ratings, heightening uncertainty over his administration's fate.
With the Tokyo Olympic Games starting on Jul 23, the probably scenario is for Suga to dissolve parliament following the Sep 5 end of the Paralympic Games and call simple election, the Asahi said.
(US$1 = 109.5900 yen)
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