The government unveiled a package of pump-priming measures Tuesday that focuses on accelerating deregulation to help boost confidence in the economy, if not real demand, in the short term.
Roughly half of the 120-item package consists of specific deregulation measures in areas such as telecommunications, welfare, employment, finance, distribution and education, as well as steps to increase market access.
It also contains plans that are aimed at increasing land transactions and assisting small and medium-size businesses, as well as measures suggested by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party last week to use private-sector funds to help build up Japan's infrastructure.