TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is doubling down on a costly battle to protect households from rising food and energy prices as criticism over his government's response casts a shadow over next month's upper house election.
In recent weeks, Kishida's government has ramped up gasoline subsidies, launched a program aimed at curbing electricity costs and vowed to keep wheat products from becoming more expensive. The import-dependent economy is facing growing pressure from a falling yen, but the prime minister has called for the central bank to maintain its policy of monetary easing, warning that raising interest rates would be damaging for small businesses.
