Regarding Philip Brasor's May 29 Media Mix article, "Kan government struggles to raise reconstruction funds": No one wants a tax increase. I don't, my wife doesn't and my boss doesn't. However, Japan has no choice. This generation is going to have to pay for the mistakes that Japan's leaders have been making for the past 30 years. If we don't do this now, our children will have to pay for our mistake of not handling this problem.
I am the father of two, and the last thing I want is for my kids to have to pay and suffer for my fathers' and grandfathers' mistakes. I would rather suffer than make them do so. A tax increase is not fair: It will make our lives harder, but when I look at my kids, I realize we have no choice and no excuse.
Japan is the next Greece unless massive changes happen. A tax increase is not the only thing this country must do to fix its massive economic and financial problems. Politicians' salaries should be cut in half until the economy gets better. To his credit, Naoto Kan announced that he has given up his salary as prime minister until the Fukushima nuclear crisis is under control.
In addition, the number of people in temporary positions (now 35 percent of the workforce) must come down; otherwise, the economy will never get better. The old system of salary increases based on age instead of performance needs to be changed and government spending must be reduced dramatically.
These changes will not be easy for our generation, and it is not fair that we have to carry them out. But we really have no choice. We suffer or our kids will suffer.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.