Finance Minister Jun Azumi referred Tuesday to the possibility of compiling by the end of December a fourth extra budget for this fiscal year to provide additional financing for March 11-related relief work.
"I will ask for a comprehensive decision" by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda if it becomes clear that the government has spare money under the initial budget for fiscal 2011, Azumi told a Diet committee.
The Diet on Monday enacted the third supplementary budget, worth ¥12 trillion, to mainly finance full-fledged reconstruction work following the natural disasters. The envisaged fourth budget would secure additional funds for some relief programs, according to government officials.