Japan govt likely to end gasoline surcharge -Kyodo

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TOKYO Dec 21 (Reuters) - Japan's government is likely to stick with its campaign promise to scrap a surcharge on gasoline, Kyodo news agency reported on Monday, citing a key cabinet minister.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama could decide as early as Monday whether to abolish the surcharge and go through with another campaign pledge to hand out child allowances to all families, regardless of their income.

Hatoyama's public support has been slipping and a poll over the weekend showed voters want income limits for eligibility for child allowances and want to keep the gasoline surcharge because of Japan's worsening debt burden.

Japan's public debt is approaching 200 percent of gross domestic product, the worst among industrialised countries. (Reporting by Stanley White)