On Friday, Japan is expected to unveil a record $490 billion expenditure plan to help offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, defying a worldwide trend of removing crisis-mode stimulus measures and putting more stress on the country’s already strained finances.

Spending has increased owing to a variety of rewards, including those that have been criticised for being unconnected to the epidemic, such as cash handouts to homes with children under the age of 18, and experts predict that more bonds will be issued this year.

The large investment would highlight Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s determination to focus on reflating the economy and transferring wealth to the households, despite his reputation as a fiscal conservative.

“The reflationary monetary policy and go-big-or-go-home fiscal policy pioneered by (former Premier) Shinzo Abe is now the orthodoxy,” said James Brady, an analyst at Teneo.

“Though Kishida has been known in the past for being somewhat hawkish, he appears set to continue the Abenomics paradigm for several more years.”

Kishida disclosed his proposal to spend roughly 56 trillion yen ($490 billion) in the stimulus package at a meeting of government and ruling-party officials on Friday, and to assemble an additional budget by year’s end to support the initiatives.

The amount spent exceeded the market’s expectation of 30-40 trillion yen, owing to large reimbursements to people and businesses affected by the epidemic.

According to a final version of the stimulus plan as reported in the media, the whole package which includes monies that do not lead to immediate expenditure, would likely total 78.9 trillion yen.

According to the proposal, the government would prepare an additional budget of roughly 32 trillion yen to cover a portion of the costs.

It would include at least $6.7 billion in defence investment, according to Kyodo news, amid mounting regional concerns over China’s expanding economic and military dominance.

The package’s size was a point of contention for critics.

“Inflating the size may have become the purpose with little discretion made on whether the spending would be effective,” said Takumi Tsunoda, senior economist at Shinkin Central Bank Research Institute. “It’s a lot of wasteful spending.”

Following a cabinet meeting later on Friday, the administration will reveal the package’s provisions.

Japan has lagged behind other countries in its recovery from the epidemic, necessitating authorities to continue enormous fiscal and monetary assistance even while other advanced economies reduce crisis-mode measures.

Policymakers believe that the increased investment will assist to support the economy, which declined more than expected in the third quarter as a result of pandemic constraints and global supply problems, which affected consumption and exports.

Japan’s three big anti-pandemic expenditure packages have left it with long-term debt that is approximately double the size of its $5 trillion GDP. (Adapted from Investing.com)

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