Japan's prime minister calls stimulus package fiscally "responsible"

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed Friday that her cabinet approved a stimulus package worth JPY21.3 trillion, approximately USD135 billion, insisting that her government was being fiscally "responsible".

"What Japan should do now is not to weaken its national strength through excessive austerity measures, but to strengthen its national power through proactive fiscal policies," Takaichi said in Tokyo.

"While fostering a strong economy and increasing the growth rate, we will reduce the government debt-to-GDP ratio, achieve fiscal sustainability and secure trust from the market," she said.