Japan ruling coalition ally seeks fresh stimulus amidst weak yen

The Komeito party, a junior partner in Japan's ruling coalition, is urging Prime Minister Abe to craft an extra budget, given the economy's current weakness - Reuters Photo.

TOKYO: The junior partner in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's coalition government on Monday called for steps to stimulate an economy hit by April's sales tax rise and to soften the pain of rising costs caused by a weak yen.

Keiichi Ishii, policy chief of the Komeito party, said the government needs to craft an extra budget given the economy's current weakness regardless of Abe's decision on whether to go ahead with a second tax hike in 2015.