TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan decided to compile an economic stimulus package worth around 5 trillion yen ($50.96 billion) to offset the impact from a sales tax hike planned next April, the government said in a statement on Tuesday.

The decision was made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet hours after he said the government will raise the national sales tax to 8 percent in April from 5 percent in a bid to rein in the government's runaway debt.

(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Shinichi Saoshiro)