(March 25): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning “powerful” measures to ease the impact on consumers coming from price hikes, according to local media reports.

Ishiba said he intends to roll out major price relief measures after the initial budget for the upcoming fiscal year is approved by parliament, Kyodo News reported on Tuesday. It cited Tetsuo Saito, head of the ruling coalition’s junior partner, who had discussed the matter with Ishiba, and didn’t provide further details.

Ishiba’s latest plan appears to be an attempt to bolster his support in the run-up to this summer’s general election. The cost of living crunch has been a major challenge for Ishiba’s minority government, fuelling public discontent over the ruling parties’ handling of economic policies while strengthening opposition parties’ calls for spending and tax cuts.

Japan’s consumer prices rose slightly more than expected in February, despite government energy subsidies helping to slow utility cost increases. Food prices rose by more than 7% for the second month in February, as a result of the weak yen and unfavourable weather conditions.

Ishiba has already introduced several price relief measures as part of last year’s economic package and the initial budget for the upcoming fiscal year. One of his latest efforts includes releasing emergency rice stockpiles to curb soaring rice prices, which surged 81.4% in February.

A weekend poll by Kyodo News showed Ishiba’s approval rating hitting a record low of 27.6%. The drop was partly linked to Ishiba’s admission that he distributed shopping vouchers worth ¥100,000 (RM2,946.36) to some newly elected ruling party lawmakers.

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