Japan's government plans to double budget reserves to 1 trillion yen ($6.9 billion) for earthquake relief in the next fiscal year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday.

Kishida announced the plan after his visit to the northwest Japanese region hit by a powerful earthquake struck earlier this month. ($1 = 144.9000 yen) (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)