Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi came under pressure Tuesday from ruling bloc lawmakers to abandon his pledge to limit fresh government bond issuance to 30 trillion yen.
Lawmakers in Koizumi's own Liberal Democratic Party and one of its coalition partners, New Komeito, said Koizumi should instead focus on efforts to revive the economy.
"Some have doubts over (Koizumi's policy) to stick to the 30 trillion yen cap when stock prices are falling and the jobless rate is rising," Mikio Aoki, secretary general of the LDP delegation in the House of Councilors, said at a news conference.