A senior Liberal Democratic Party official hinted Sunday the consumption tax will have to go up in fiscal 2007 to help finance future social security costs.

Asked by a moderator on a Fuji TV program whether the LDP's election manifesto means the consumption tax -- currently at 5 percent -- will be hiked in the year starting in April 2007, LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe said, "Yes."

The LDP now has to consider the margin of increase, the party's No. 2 man said.