Centrist Party to Carefully Study Joining National Congress

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–A senior official of the Centrist Reform Alliance has suggested that the Japanese opposition party will carefully consider whether to join a proposed national congress for talks on issues including a possible consumption tax cut to zero for food. In a televised debate among political party executives Sunday, Shinji Inoue, acting secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said he wants “as many parties as possible” to join the national congress, which has been proposed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the LDP. Centrist Reform Alliance head Junya Ogawa, who was elected to the post Friday following the party’s humiliating defeat in the Feb. 8 general election, said, “It’s difficult to make a decision unless we hear directly from the prime minister (about the purpose of the national congress).” Hiroshi Nakatsuka, secretary-general of the Japan Innovation Party, the coalition partner of the LDP, showed plans to review existing special tax breaks, subsidies and government funds to make up for the revenue drops from the proposed consumption tax exemption for food. Kazuya Shinba, secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, said, “We don’t rule out (the possibility of) participating in the national congress.” But he added, “The ruling parties should come up with a specific plan (regarding the tax exemption) first.” Among other opposition parties, Sanseito Secretary-General Hiroshi Ando said that a consumption tax cut for only food would deal a blow to the restaurant industry and is therefore “out of the question.” Team Mirai leader Takahiro Anno also voiced opposition to the tax cut for food while saying, “We are ready to make contributions to discussions at the national congress if we have a chance to join it.” Japanese Communist Party executive Akira Koike slammed the ruling bloc, saying that the tax cut issue “should be debated in parliament.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]