Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a policy speech as an extraordinary Diet session convened on Monday.

He vowed to take steps to cushion the blow from rising electricity bills and maximize the benefits to the economy from a weak yen by resuscitating inbound tourism. 

Dealing with rising inflation and the fallout from the yen's recent sharp falls will be among steps the administration will focus on, Kishida said in his speech, stressing that revitalizing the economy was his "top priority."

The government will compile a package of measures by the end of this month to "protect people's livelihood from rising prices", he said. 

Kishida also said Japan will fully open borders to overseas visitors from October 11 to revitalize inbound tourism, which had ground to a halt due to entry restrictions imposed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

(With input from Reuters)

(Cover: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan October 14, 2021. /CFP)