Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet endorsed budget guidelines Tuesday that will not cut automatic growth in social security spending in fiscal 2010.
The decision not to trim the annual increase marks a departure from the policy initiated in 2006 by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who spearheaded economic reforms that until now have been upheld by his successors.
At a news conference in the evening, Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano indicated the government may pay for the spending increase by issuing government debt.