A government tax panel agreed Tuesday that it would not use securities taxes as a tool to stimulate stock prices, the head of the panel said.
Masahiro Okuno, a University of Tokyo professor, said panel members agreed to hold discussions "from the standpoint of fairness, neutrality and simplicity," pointing out that revising securities-related taxes alone might distort their consistency with levies on other financial assets.
The subcommittee was set up last month to specifically discuss taxes on financial assets.
The focus of the discussions is on providing tax incentives to channel assets into the stock market, which the ruling parties are urging and was emphasized in an economic package compiled by the government in April.