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 ...

More Sports / Tennis

Radwanska triumphs at Korea Open

SEOUL – Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska rallied from a set down on Sunday to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-4 and win the Korea Open.

Radwanska hit five aces and took advantage of 10 double-faults by the third-seeded Russian player to win her third title of the year and 13th overall.

Pavlyuchenkova rallied from 3-0 down in the first set and fought off four set points in her 5-6 service game before taking a one-set lead.

But the momentum shifted when Radwanska won the first three games of the second set. The Pole stayed on serve with Pavlyuchenkova through the first nine games of the third set before one last break to close out the match in 2 hours, 45 minutes.

TOKYO (7 a.m.)

Sports

Economy | ANALYSIS

Households to take hit from tax hike

by Tomoko Otake