TOKYO: Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (pic) wants to revive the world's number four economy by investing in 17 key areas including AI, chips and shipbuilding, government documents showed Tuesday (Nov 11).
The growth plan due to be finalised in 2026 is being prepared in parallel with a new stimulus package expected by late November that the Nikkei business daily said could be worth more than 10 trillion yen (US$65 billion).
Takaichi, appointed Japan's fifth premier in as many years last month at the head of a minority government, has assembled a Japan Growth Strategy Council which held its first discussions late Monday.
In documents released afterwards, the areas for investment also included defence, drugs, critical minerals, aerospace and space, cyber security, quantum computing and nuclear fusion.
"I ask the relevant ministers to work on securing the necessary supplementary budget and implementing the required tax measures for the contents presented here," Takaichi told the meeting attended by ministers and experts.
"I also ask you to immediately start with what can be done without waiting for the finalisation of these economic measures," she said.
Takaichi and US President Donald Trump agreed to promote cooperation in shipbuilding in their meeting late last month, while the chip sector is key for also economic security that Takaichi has stressed.
The stimulus package -- one of several in recent years -- is expected to include measures to ease the pain of rising prices on households.
Anger over inflation was a big factor in a string of poor election results that felled Takaichi's predecessor Shigeru Ishiba after barely a year in office. - AFP
