日本政府正考虑最早从12月开始缩减汽油补贴，因担心这一昂贵措施的资金最终可能耗尽，两名知情的执政党官员周五表示。
Japan's government is considering scaling back gasoline subsidies from as early as December amid growing concerns that funding for the costly measure could eventually run short, two ruling party officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
这项紧急措施于3月推出，旨在缓冲美伊战争爆发后油价飙升对家庭和企业的冲击。
The emergency measure was introduced in March to cushion households and businesses from a surge in oil prices following the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
随着原油价格居高不下，为将全国普通汽油平均零售价维持在每升约170日元（约合1.09美元），该措施每月耗资政府数十亿美元，正在迅速耗尽6月批准的3.1万亿日元补充预算。
As crude oil prices remain elevated, the measure is costing the government several billion dollars a month to keep the nationwide average price of regular gasoline at about 170 yen ($1.09) per litre, rapidly depleting the 3.1 trillion yen supplementary budget approved in June.
据官员透露，政府与执政联盟正在讨论的方案下，支付给燃料批发商的每周补贴可能逐步减少，推动平均零售汽油价格在12月升至每升175日元左右，1月升至180日元左右。因事项尚未公开，两人均拒绝具名。资源能源厅未立即置评。
Under a proposal being discussed by the government and ruling coalition, weekly subsidies paid to fuel distributors could be gradually reduced, pushing average retail gasoline prices to around 175 yen per litre in December and 180 yen in January, the officials said. They declined to be identified as the matter is still private. The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy did not immediately comment.
此番讨论正值首相高市早苗计划于明年4月降低食品饮料消费税之际。
The debate also comes ahead of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's planned reduction in the consumption tax on food and beverages from April next year.
“一旦消费税减税开始，家庭财务压力将减轻。我们希望到那时尽可能削减汽油补贴，”其中一位消息人士表示。
"Once the consumption tax cut begins, households will feel less financial pressure. We would like to reduce gasoline subsidies as much as possible by then," one of the sources said.
日本政府已开始研究其他措施以保护家庭免受能源成本上涨影响，包括可能重新引入已于9月到期的天然气和电力补贴。
Japan's government has begun considering other measures to shield households from rising energy costs, including the possible re-introduction of gas and electricity subsidies that expired in September.