Protecting Japanese jobs more important than fiscal reform now, minister says

Yasutoshi Nishimura

TOKYO (Reuters) - Protecting the jobs of Japanese people is more important now than public finances, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday.

The huge cost of combating the coronavirus crisis is threatening to add considerably to the country’s already massive public debt. Nishimura, speaking to reporters, said fiscal consolidation naturally wouldn’t be unaffected by that in the long run.