Jan. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Japan’s Finance Minister Jun Azumi said allowing the nation’s finances to deteriorate further would present a “significant risk to stable economic growth” and that efforts to contain debt should be made “as soon as possible.”

He made the remarks in an address to parliament in Tokyo today.

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--Editor: Lily Nonomiya

To contact the reporter on this story: Mayumi Otsuma in Tokyo at motsuma@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Anstey at canstey@bloomberg.net