The Japanese government decided to release 513.5 billion yen from this fiscal year's reserve funds to restart subsidies for energy bills over the summer, aiming to cushion the economic blow from the Middle East conflict, the Mainichi reported on Tuesday, citing Minister Ryosei Akazawa.
The subsidies will apply to electricity and gas bills from July to September, when air conditioning demand rises, cutting costs for an average household by roughly 5,000 yen, with officials pledging to keep bills lower than last summer's levels, the news daily said.
Akazawa, Japan's economy, trade and industry minister, said the focus was on easing the burden in August, the peak month for electricity use, while also promoting energy-saving tips for home appliances and cars, the publication said.
The plan provides 3.5 yen per kilowatt-hour for electricity in July and September and 4.5 yen in August, and for gas, 14 yen per cubic meter in July and September and 18 yen in August, drawing from the 1 trillion yen reserve fund in the initial fiscal 2026 budget, the report said.
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