The consumption tax increase next April will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people's financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the impact of the hike, experts say.

Consumption tax raise misdirected

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirms that the government will raise the sales tax from 5 to 8 percent beginning in April. But will the tax hike lead to an economic downturn

Lifestyle | CHILD'S PLAY

A welcome sign: Tantrums may be on the way out

by Danielle Demetriou

Every parent is all too familiar with The Tantrum. The screaming, the flailing arms, the angry head butting — and the timing (normally in the most inconvenient public place possible).

Issues | JUST BE CAUSE

Triumph of Tokyo Olympic bid sends wrong signal to Japan's resurgent right

by Debito Arudou

International events undermine Japan's democracy. Shame on the International Olympic Committee for being a party to it.

Art

Kohfukuji temple: under divine protection

by C.B. Liddell

Tucked away behind the main museums in Ueno, the Tokyo University Art Museum may not be on most people’s radar, but it is definitely one of the city’s top museums in terms of curatorial quality. Whenever I go there, I am always delighted by ...

MLB

Pirates roar past Reds

Francisco Liriano showed up at PNC Park on Tuesday afternoon in a suit with his suitcase packed for a trip St. Louis. The message reverberated through the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse. After 21 years away from the playoffs, it was time for the best story ...

Business / Corporate

EBay to buy online payment provider

NEW YORK – E-commerce giant eBay Inc. has reached a deal to buy online and mobile payment technology provider Braintree for $800 million in cash.

The move comes as eBay’s PayPal unit works to evolve from its roots as an online payment provider, expanding its offline, mobile and online offerings to stores, restaurants and other business.

Braintree’s payment technology is used by popular start-ups such as vacation rental site Airbnb, cab-hailing app Uber and restaurant reservation site OpenTable. The company charges businesses a fee of 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per each transaction, and expects to process about $12 billion in payments this year.

TOKYO (6 a.m.)

News

Economy | ANALYSIS

Households to take hit from tax hike

by Tomoko Otake

Consumption tax raise misdirected

Lifestyle | CHILD'S PLAY

A welcome sign: Tantrums may be on the way out

by Danielle Demetriou

Issues | JUST BE CAUSE

Triumph of Tokyo Olympic bid sends wrong signal to Japan's resurgent right

by Debito Arudou

Art

Kohfukuji temple: under divine protection

by C.B. Liddell

MLB

Pirates roar past Reds

Business / Corporate

EBay to buy online payment provider