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*Japan eager to help world out of crisis: Yosano HORSHAM, England, March 15 KYODO * (Japan eager to help world out of crisis: Yosano Japanese Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano speaks at a news conference after a Group of 20 fin...) *Japanese Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano* said Saturday Japan is eager to play a role in helping the world out of its deepening economic crisis. ''The best contribution we, the second biggest economy in terms of GDP (gross domestic product), can make to the world economy is to help conquer the economic and financial crisis as soon as possible and ensure medium- to long-term growth,'' he said. Speaking at a news conference after a Group of 20 financial leaders' gathering, Yosano said the immediate task for Tokyo is to pass the fiscal 2009 state budget and relevant bills at an early date. Another priority, he said, is for the public sector to help companies meet their financing needs ahead of their March 31 book closing through policy funding measures. Yosano expressed hope that ruling parties will swiftly come up with additional stimulus measures in accordance with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's recent instructions. He said the fresh stimulus, combined with steps already taken, will enable Japan's fiscal spending to top 2 percent of its GDP, a threshold that the International Monetary Fund has called for Japan and other countries to clear. Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Kiyohiko Nishimura told the same press conference the G-20 meeting took place amid a shared view that ''the world economy is substantially deteriorating.'' The G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors assembled in Horsham, south of London, for a preparatory meeting for the G-20 summit in the British capital on April 2. Separately, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said he is ''very pleased'' by the G-20 nations' strong commitment to battle the crisis. ''We have a very broad basis of consensus globally on the need to act aggressively to restore growth to the global economy and a commitment to move together to address the evolving crisis,'' he said. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, who chaired the G-20 meeting, said that while acknowledging the ''vital'' importance of fiscal stimuli in the short run, the financial leaders also agreed on the need for longer-term fiscal health. ''We reiterated we will ensure the restoration of growth and at the same time commit ourselves to long-run fiscal sustainability, which is very important,'' he said at a news conference. He also said the latest G-20 agreement includes the central banks keeping interest rates at very low levels as long as needed, using the ''full range'' of monetary instruments. The G-20 consists of the Group of Seven major industrialized countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States -- and emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India and Russia. ==Kyodo [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
