Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba says complete exit from deflation is essential, by Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) – Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s former defense minister who is running for the leadership of the ruling party, said on Tuesday that a complete exit from deflation was an extremely important task for the country.

“I don’t think private consumption has recovered strongly yet, despite some signs of improvement,” Ishiba told a news conference where he outlined his policy commitments for the Liberal Democratic Party leadership race.

“I promise to achieve sustainable growth in real wages to achieve a full exit from deflation so that people can spend without worrying about the future,” he added.

The Liberal Democratic Party’s parliamentary control means its leader becomes Japan’s prime minister.