On 5 July, RENGO had a meeting with Mr. Nonaka, Chief Cabinet Secretary at the Prime Minister's residence and requested to reflect the 1999-2000 demands and proposals for policy/system reform in the budget-making for the year of 2000, as well as to implement the 1999 supplementary budget. This meeting was attended by Mr. Tokumoto, President of RENGO's Policy Committee, Mr. Hattori, President of the SME Committee, Mr. Suzuki, President of the Labour Policy Committee, and Mr. Sasamori, General Secretary, on the RENGO side, and Chief Cabinet Secretary and Mr. Amari, Minister of Labour on the government side.

The meeting began with that Mr. Tokumoto handing a demand to Chief Cabinet Secretary and requesting to make every effort to ensure that the making-budget would lead to economic recovery.

Mr. Sasamori then described the demand of formulating the 1999 supplementary budget amounting to 14 trillion-yen and the 2000 budget with the effect to stimulate the economy.

Chief Cabinet Secretary replied: "The economy has hit the bottom and remains at the level. An employment package of 500 billion yen will be presented on 8 July and will be discussed." He further described that the budget for the year of 2000 and the supplementary budget would be discussed simultaneously, aiming at continuous financial and economic management without an interval.

Labour Minister explained that the supplementary budget of 500 billion was aimed at creating 700,000 jobs. He also explained that job creation in public sector should be seen as an urgent measure and that the economy would be fully recovered within 2 years, which would absorb more jobs. Replying to Mr. Tokumoto, who questioned about the possibility to extend the duration for unemployment allowance, the Minister stated that only "positive extenuation" such as that of training period should be accepted in a flexible manner.