Abe on the ropes talks about increasing sales tax!
Posted by Matt Dioguardi on July 7th, 2007
Let me get this straight, Shinzo Abe and the LDP are on the political ropes here, and the response is to use raising the sales tax as a campaign ploy? Vote for me, I’ll raise the sales tax. Honest Abe at it again. Oops. I guess this was just a mistake of sorts … article follows:
- Possible sales tax hike to become theme in coming election: Abe
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that tax system reforms, including the possibility of raising the consumption tax, will be a campaign issue in the House of Councillors election in late July.
Political parties’ stance on the issue will be “a theme” in the upper house election, Abe said on a television program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp.
But a hike in the consumption tax from the current 5 percent should not be taken for granted because the government should decide whether to raise it while eliminating wasteful spending and ascertaining Japan’s economic growth, Abe added.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki downplayed the significance of Abe’s remarks, saying it is impossible to avoid any talk about the consumption tax during the election campaign.
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The issue of a possible consumption tax hike has drawn attention after Abe said on another television program aired Thursday night that he has never said the tax would not be raised and that the government will start fully discussing whether to increase the tax this fall as part of tax system reforms.
July 7th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Mizuho Fukushima brought the issue up just before Abe was to appear on those TV discussion programs. I don’t think Abe expected to field questions on it, but she managed to remind everyone that the issue exists.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:41 am
That’s interesting. I’m always surprised at how many people already accept the inevitability of a sales tax increase. Is there not room for spending cuts any where?