TOKYO  Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama warned on Tuesday that Japan could fall back into recession without bold measures like the stimulus package introduced by the country’s governing coalition. But he is struggling to balance economic concerns with a campaign promise to rein in government spending.

“We’ve reached the utmost limit in terms of financing,” Mr. Hatoyama, who took office in September after a landmark victory for his Democratic Party over the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party, said on Tuesday.

A recent surge in the yen to a 14-year high against the dollar, together with persistent deflation, has disrupted the Japanese economy, leading to the new stimulus package of 7.2 trillion yen.

The $81 billion package  which is equivalent to about 1.5 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product  includes $39 billion to prop up regional economies and pay for public works projects.