(I) During the 1990s, the Japanese economy was in a prolonged recession. (II) Economists and journalists put forward many different ideas to try to jump-start the economy. (III) This is an example, although an unusual one, of government fiscal policy. (IV) One suggestion was that the Japanese government should issue everyone a certificate entitling each person to the equivalent, in yen, of $200. (V) However, these yen certificates would only be valid for purchases for one month.