Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Economy Sep 30, 2013
Abe betting this tax hike will be different
by Isabel Reynolds and Toru Fujioka
It’s different this time. The four most dangerous words in markets, according to former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. With the consumption tax set to be raised for the first time since 1997, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s political future rides on a different outcome ...
National Sep 21, 2013
Corporate tax cut agreement eludes
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s top economic chiefs have failed to agree on a contentious corporate tax cut amid lingering skepticism that the move will bolster the deflation-mired economy and amid pressure on business leaders to raise wages. Abe, Finance Minister Taro Aso and economic ...
Corporate Sep 13, 2013
Toshiba chief urges Eco-point relaunch
The government should start another Eco-point subsidy program for energy-efficient products to help prevent any consumption tax hike from triggering an economic slowdown, Toshiba Corp. Vice Chairman Norio Sasaki said. Considering the anticipated surge in social security costs and the Japan’s steadily worsening fiscal ...
Business Sep 10, 2013
Abe orders stimulus to avert tax hike hit
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed his ministers to draw up a stimulus package in case the planned consumption tax hike in April harms the economy, Finance Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Abe discussed the matter with Aso, economic and ...
Economy Aug 25, 2013
Tax hike debate expected to heat up
Debate on how the planned sales tax hike will affect the economy is expected to heat up when a government panel begins gathering expert opinions Monday. A Kyodo News poll said Saturday that at least 10 of the 60 panel members surveyed favor proceeding ...