Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba Says Govt Will Take Measures to Ease Price Hikes of Petroleum Products

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:18 JST, June 20, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday that the government will begin next Thursday measures to ease possible drastic changes in the price of petroleum products due to the growing conflict in the Middle East.

Ishiba, also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, met with the leaders of the six ruling and opposition parties in the Diet and explained his intent to address the possible price rise of petroleum products. The meeting was held to share the results of the Japan-U.S. tariff talks held in conjunction with the Group of Seven summit.

He said measures will be implemented in July and August to prevent the national average price of gasoline from rising above the ¥175 range and that similar measures will be taken for diesel oil, kerosene, heavy oil and aviation fuel.

The meeting between party leaders was the first held since June 12, prior to the G7 summit. It was attended by the leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japan Innovation Party, the Democratic Party for the People, Reiwa Shinsengumi, the Japanese Communist Party and the LDP’s coalition partner Komeito.