Who are the people that are suffering the most as this global depression unfolds? Clearly, it is the weakest members of society who are getting the worst deal. That, sadly, is the way it has always worked. There's not much that can be done about this particular fact of life.
That, however, is all the more reason to make policymakers concentrate on alleviating the pain being felt by such people in times like these. But why is it then, that the much-vaunted ¥15 trillion extra economic stimulus package the Japanese government recently unveiled contains so much stuff favoring the rich?
If you are in the enviable position of being able to leave a lot of money to your children, you are now eligible for considerable reductions in the gift tax, provided the gift money will be spent on buying a house, renovating one, or making it bigger. People who trade in old environment-polluting cars for more ecologically minded ones will also get special treatment.