Ishiba to Pledge to Assemble Economic Package

Tokyo, Oct. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday will pledge to assemble an economic package at an early date to bail out people struggling with high prices.

In his first parliamentary policy speech since taking office on Tuesday, Ishiba will promise to provide benefits for low-income households and to help small and midsize firms raise wages.

He is also expected to propose a target of raising minimum hourly wages in the country to an average of 1,500 yen by the end of this decade.

Ishiba will announce a plan to double subsidies for local revitalization.

On economic security, he will seek to bring production of semiconductors and other strategically important goods back to Japan.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]