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July 15, 2025
 

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TAXES

As Japan confronts global economic shifts and mounting fiscal pressures, its upcoming election risks being consumed by a stale, politically fraught debate over the consumption tax.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 21, 2025
Don’t reopen the ‘demon's gate’ debate in Japan
As Japan confronts global economic shifts and mounting fiscal pressures, its upcoming election risks being consumed by a stale, politically fraught debate over the consumption tax.
If tax exemptions are revised, small parcels containing products bought from Shein and PDD Holdings' Temu shipped into Japan could be subject to the country’s sales tax, which mostly stands at 10%.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 20, 2025
Japan considers taxing small parcels as Shein and Temu expand
An experts group has discussed problems related to existing exemptions, including concerns about the channel being a conduit for illegal drugs and counterfeit goods.
As Japan heads into summer elections, debate over the consumption tax has intensified, with opposition parties demanding cuts to ease pressure on households and the government defending the levy as essential amid rising debt and economic uncertainty.
EDITORIALS
May 16, 2025
Don’t overreact to the consumption tax debate
Economic uncertainty in combination with rising prices are squeezing the budgets of households, businesses and the government.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba enters his office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
May 13, 2025
Consumption tax set to dominate Upper House election debate
Broaching the subject has traditionally been seen as akin to kicking a hornet's nest.
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama speaks in the city of Kagoshima on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 12, 2025
LDP and CDP see consumption tax cut as election issue
CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda told reporters in Sapporo that if the ruling camp does not decide on the consumption tax cut, it would have to become an election issue.
A supermarket in Chiba. Politicians in Japan might cut the consumption tax to help households and the economy.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 8, 2025
Economists debate consumption tax cut as Japanese politicians warm to idea
Japanese politicians are considering the possibility of lowering the consumption tax to stimulate the economy in the face of U.S. tariffs.
In a world where capital and rich individuals can cross borders freely, only international cooperation can ensure that multinational corporations and the superrich are fairly taxed.
COMMENTARY / World
May 7, 2025
America is becoming the world’s largest tax haven
Trump is turning the U.S. into a tax haven by weakening enforcement, deregulating crypto and abandoning international tax cooperation, favoring secrecy and the ultrarich.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters about Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations at his official residence on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
May 5, 2025
Tariff talks with U.S. seen influencing Japan's Upper House election
The outcome of the ongoing bilateral negotiations will have a major impact on this summer's election in the Upper House.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan head Yoshihiko Noda speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 28, 2025
CDP's about-face piles pressure on LDP to cut consumption tax on food
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Yoshihiko Noda pledged that the party will abolish the consumption tax on food products for a year.
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, in April.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 28, 2025
Trump’s polls decline near 100-day mark, raising tax-plan stakes
Polls show that voters perceive Trump to be falling short on his core campaign promise to strengthen the economy.
Scott Bessent
WORLD / Politics
Apr 19, 2025
Bessent replaces acting IRS commissioner in power struggle with Musk
The move came hours after a report that Bessent approached President Donald Trump to complain that Musk had gone around him to get his pick appointed.
A vegetable stand displays prices at a supermarket in Tokyo in 2023. Some lawmakers are proposing lowering the consumption tax on food to 0%, which is expected to result in a loss of up to ¥5 trillion in tax revenue annually.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 18, 2025
LDP and CDP lawmaker groups propose 0% consumption tax on food
Reducing the tax to 0% is expected to result in a loss of up to ¥5 trillion in tax revenue annually.
Former CDP executive Kenji Eda discusses a possible reduction of the consumption tax rate, in Tokyo on April 10.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 17, 2025
CDP divisions over proposed tax cut pose headache for Yoshihiko Noda
The nation’s largest opposition party is preparing for the Upper House poll in July, in which it hopes to win enough seats to make a CDP-led coalition government possible.
Liberal Democratic Party policy chief Itsunori Onodera addresses a party meeting to discuss measures to cope with U.S. tariffs, held at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 13, 2025
LDP and CDP officials voice caution over tax cut
The CDP's Kazuhiko Shigetoku said that his party has only begun discussions on the consumption tax.
The Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito are increasingly divided over economic measures to deal with inflation and U.S. tariffs.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 12, 2025
Ruling coalition divided over consumption tax cut
While some are leaning toward a tax cut, LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama and others are seeking a cash handout instead.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda speaks during a news conference Friday afternoon at the Diet building in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 12, 2025
CDP kicks off discussions on cutting consumption tax
While party leader Yoshihiko Noda has been cautious, calls for a cut are growing within the party, especially in light of U.S. President Donald Trump's onerous tariff policies.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gives instructions to Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa (third from left) and others at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 11, 2025
Japan braces for talks on yen and BOJ in trade negotiations with U.S.
Ryosei Akazawa, who is heading the task force, is reportedly set to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent next week.
The Osaka tax bureau found ¥1.3 billion in unreported income as Kawasaki Heavy Industries pooled funds through fictitious transactions related to repair contracts for MSDF submarines.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 8, 2025
Kawasaki Heavy hit with ¥1 billion in back taxes over MSDF scandal
The defense contractor was found to have wined and dined Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel.
Leaders of ruling and opposition political parties meet Friday at the Diet building in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 6, 2025
Calls for consumption tax cut increasing in Japan
With food and other prices still rising, even ruling party officials have started to demand consumption tax cuts as a key policy for this summer's elections.
While tariffs and value-added taxes seem similar, a VAT would be a more effective, long-term solution for boosting the U.S. economy.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 4, 2025
Europe’s VAT hurts the U.S.? Retaliate with a VAT.
Maybe misconceptions about tariffs and trade can be turned to America’s advantage.
U.S. urges clarity on Japan’s role in potential war over Taiwan, report says
A Ground Self-Defense Force member conducts a military drill with an anti-ship missiles unit, at the GSDF's base on Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture in April 2022.
Tourists in Japan have telemedicine options before calling 119
Foreign tourists at Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo. More than 1 million international visitors have a medical issue in Japan every year.
Tropical Storm Nari moves northward, with possible landfall Tuesday
Tropical Storm Nari's forecast path as of Monday morning
Nissan clinches $4.5 billion bond deal after orders soar
Nissan Motor has raised $4.5 billion through a junk bond sale in U.S. dollars and euros, part of which carries a record-high coupon rate.
Students in Japan struggle with Japanese language and math sections on national exam
The correct answer rate for the Japanese language section on a national test dropped to 67.0% from 67.8% the previous year among elementary school sixth-graders.
U.S. urges clarity on Japan’s role in potential war over Taiwan, report says
A Ground Self-Defense Force member conducts a military drill with an anti-ship missiles unit, at the GSDF's base on Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture in April 2022.
Tourists in Japan have telemedicine options before calling 119
Foreign tourists at Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo. More than 1 million international visitors have a medical issue in Japan every year.
Is Japanese skin really ‘too smooth’ for Hideo Kojima’s games?
Hideo Kojima, the leading auteur in Japanese video games, has skirted controversy in the wake of the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
An emoji used to say it all. Now it might say too much.
Apple’s Craig Federighi shows off a set of emoji at a conference on June 13, 2016. While the small pictures have proved helpful in conveying nuance in our texts, younger people are using them less often.
‘Our ultimate goal is to save every single Japanese video game’
After nearly shuttering earlier this year, the Tokyo-based Game Preservation Society continues its work to save the early history of Japanese gaming.

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