Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has said he wants to make sure a forthcoming economic package will help ease the burden of higher electric bills for households and businesses.

The government is to compile the economic package by the end of this month. Japan's consumer price index for August showed that electricity bills jumped over 20 percent from a year earlier.

Kishida met with officials of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan on Wednesday. He said the government and the nation's 700 power companies need to respond with maximum flexibility to the challenge of higher energy costs.

He asked for the industry's cooperation so that the new package can reduce the burden of the increased charges.

Kishida said he is concerned about what will happen to the international energy market this winter. He asked utility companies to take all possible measures to ensure stable power supplies.