TOKYO - JAPANESE Prime Minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday he would wait until January before submitting a second supplementary budget to boost the ailing economy, defying calls from the opposition for quicker action.

The premier, who pushed through a 1.81 trillion yen (S$27.3 billion) emergency spending plan last month, said he would focus his efforts during the current session of parliament, which is due to end on November 30, on tax reforms and drafting next year's budget.

'It is unusual, but I want to convene the ordinary Diet session in early January for the deliberation of the second extra budget,' he told reporters.

An ordinary session of parliament is usually convened in late January.

Mr Aso announced last month a second economic stimulus package worth 26.9 trillion yen, including fresh spending of five trillion yen.

The opposition, which controls one house of parliament, has pushed Mr Aso to submit another extra budget to pay for the latest spending boost, promising to cooperate for the sake of smooth passage of the legislation.

'The second supplementary budget is a promise made to the public,' said Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan. 'We cannot accept the delay.' Mr Aso said, however, he wanted to focus his immediate efforts on a bill to allow injections of public funds into banks, as well as an extension of a naval mission to refuel US-led military operations in Afghanistan.

Legislation for both plans have been stalled by political deadlock between the houses of parliament.

Mr Aso said he did not trust opposition leaders as they have failed to make good on their earlier political promises with the ruling party.

The opposition has been pressing Mr Aso to call a snap election, but the premier has put off polls as his popularity drops and the economy worsens. One recent survey showed his cabinet's approval rating at below 30 per cent. -- AFP