The government will provide additional support to farmers and small businesses as needed to quell concerns stemming from an expected Japan-U.S. trade deal, Japan's recently appointed economic revitalization minister said Thursday.
"As far as I understand, the negotiation (between Japan and the U.S.) is in the final stages, to be signed at the end of the month," Yasutoshi Nishimura said during a group interview with media outlets including The Japan Times. "We'll make decisions including whether to take specific measures after seeing the outcome."
Nishimura, who is in charge of economic and fiscal policy, said the government has introduced a variety of measures to protect Japanese farmers from the effects of major trade deals in the past.