Japan approves €33bn disaster relief budget

JAPAN’S parliament yesterday passed a €33 billion emergency budget for disaster relief after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, a down-payment on what is set to be the country’s biggest public works effort in six decades.

The total cost of damage caused by the disaster is estimated at €200bn and the emergency budget will be followed by more spending packages.

Opposition parties have backed the first round of spending to finance work such as clearing rubble in the disaster-stricken northeast and building temporary houses.