With the novel coronavirus pandemic crippling companies, threatening jobs and denting consumption, the government is trying to shield its economy with a gargantuan stimulus package financed by a supplementary budget bill that cleared the Diet on Thursday.
Although the enactment of the budget bill was delayed due to political wrangling over a cash handout program for households, the ¥117 trillion size of the economic measures has already been determined.
What are the focuses of the package and how big is this stimulus compared to those drafted in the past? How much will the government spend?