Both Ruling, Opposition Officials Tout Consumption Tax Cut

Tokyo, Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)–Senior officials from Japan’s ruling and opposition camps both expressed willingness to cut the consumption tax, in a television debate on Sunday ahead of the anticipated general election. Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, indicated that the party is positive about including in its campaign platform a plan to temporarily reduce the consumption tax rate to zero for food products. Last October, the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party signed a coalition agreement calling for considering a legislative step to exempt food and beverage items from the tax for two years. “Our basic stance is to realize what is stated in the coalition agreement in good faith,” Suzuki said during the debate program. JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita pointed out that any tax cut must be time-limited. “An indefinite tax cut is not an option,” Fujita said. “It couldn’t gain market trust.” Jun Azumi, secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which has formed a new party, the Centrist Reform Alliance, jointly with Komeito, the LDP’s former coalition partner, argued that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic policies are insufficient. “We would like to present a consumption tax cut as a visible measure against inflation,” Azumi said. Makoto Nishida, secretary-general of Komeito, suggested creating a government-affiliated investment fund to generate funds for a tax exemption for food. Elsewhere in the debate, Kazuya Shinba, secretary-general of the Democratic Party for the People, stressed that the party intends to eliminate the renewable energy surcharge from electricity bills and boost people’s disposable income. Hiroshi Ando and Takashi Takai, secretaries-general of Sanseito and Reiwa Shinsengumi, respectively, as well as Akira Koike, head of the Japanese Communist Party’s secretariat, called for the abolition of the consumption tax. Kaori Arimoto, acting chief of the Conservative Party of Japan, mentioned “drastic” tax cuts, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima sought a cut in defense spending, and Team Mirai leader Takahiro Anno proposed investing in children. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]