Japan passes record $937 billion budget

Japan on Thursday passed its biggest-ever budget, a $937 billion spending package aimed at propping up growth as consumers brace for the country's first sales tax hike in over 15 years. A total of 136 lawmakers in the 242-member upper house, controlled by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, voted for the package, against 102 opposition votes, a parliamentary spokesman said. Four other lawmakers did not cast a vote. The passage came after the lower house last month approved the 95.88 trillion yen ($937.4 billion) budget for the fiscal year starting in April, according to AFP.