Budget requests from government ministries and agencies for fiscal 2000 will total 83.54 trillion yen, 2 percent higher than the initial budget for the current year, the Finance Ministry said Friday.

The expansionary budget, intended to ensure an economic recovery, is expected to include general expenditures of about 47.61 trillion yen, the ministry said.

Debt-servicing should rise 2.7 percent to 20.37 trillion yen as a result of the continued massive issuance of government bonds to finance a series of economic stimulus measures. Debt-servicing includes repayment of the principal and interest on bonds.