Govt. aims to start cash handouts in May

Apr 15, 2020 | News On Japan

Apr 15, 2020 (NHK) - The Japanese minister in charge of coronavirus measures says the government aims to start cash handouts in May, to households suffering from falling income due to the outbreak.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi revealed the plan during a news conference on Tuesday.

The government earlier announced that it will provide 300,000 yen, or about 2,800 dollars, to each household whose monthly income has fallen to a certain level in one month between February to June.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the internal affairs ministry is working out details of the cash handout program.

He said officials are planning to make the program simple so people will receive cash, in principle, based on the level of income drop for the head of each household.

But he added that the government will take household-specific circumstances into consideration in implementing the program.

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