Kishida says ready to mull measures to curb gasoline pricesc

Jiji Press

16:36 JST, February 21, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that the government is ready to consider every possible measure, including activating the so-called trigger provision for emergency curbs on gasoline prices, to cushion the impact of high crude oil prices.

“We will not rule out any option and will consider further measures swiftly,” Kishida said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives.

The comments came after his ruling Liberal Democratic Party Friday called for the government to raise the ceiling on its subsides provided to oil wholesalers to help lower gasoline prices to ¥25 or more per liter from the current ¥5.

On the country’s COVID-19 vaccine booster rollout, Kishida said that the government “has secured the enough amount of doses and will complete the delivery of inoculation vouchers to some 61 million people by the end of this month.”

Asked about the Ukraine crisis, the prime minister said, “Japan will play a part in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.”