The ruling camp formally agreed Thursday that it will "aim to" lower the tax rate on daily necessities when the doubling of the consumption tax rate is completed in April 2017, lawmakers said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito also said they will incorporate the tax policy in their joint campaign pledges for the general election, which is to be held on Dec. 14, the lawmakers added.
It was the first time the two parties have specified a timeline for reducing taxes on daily products such as food before the tax rate climbs to 10 percent from 8 percent.