The consumption tax should be raised after the next general election, which must be held before summer 2013, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano suggested Thursday.

In a group interview with media organizations Thursday, Edano said the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto states that the party won't raise the sales tax until the House of Representatives is reformed with new members.

"Most members of the Cabinet, including myself, gained our seats in the general and Upper House elections by promoting the DPJ manifesto," Edano said. "We will be bound to its basic ideas."