Prime Minister Naoto Kan should accomplish administrative reform before pressing for changes in the tax system, Your Party chief Yoshimi Watanabe said Wednesday.

Kan has proposed cross-party debate on tax reform, including raising the 5 percent consumption levy.

Watanabe, whose small opposition party did well in Sunday's Upper House election, criticized the proposal, saying in an interview that his party cannot accept any "discussions on raising taxes." He urged the government to first cut wasteful spending through measures such as reducing the numbers of lawmakers and bureaucrats.