Actions held to block consumption tax rate increase

More than 400 female smaller business owners on September 24 converged on the Japan Business Federation in protest against its call for the consumption tax rate to be increased to more than 10 percent from the present 5 percent.

It was part of a series of actions organized by the Women's Council of the National Federation of Merchant and Industrialist's Organizations against the consumption tax rate increase.

That day's other activities included a rally in Hibiya Public Hall with about 2,000 women participating.

A wife of a welding business owner shouted, "Are you trying to destroy smaller businesses by raising the consumption tax rate? Aren't smaller businesses an essential part of the Japanese economy?"

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The National Association to End the Consumption Tax on September 23 held its 14th general meeting in Tokyo and decided to use the next general election as an opportunity to increase public opposition to an increase in the consumption tax rate.

General Secretary Kinebuchi Tomoko stated that the revenue of the consumption tax for the last 15 years has amounted to 136 trillion yen, while corporate taxes have been reduced by 131 trillion yen. She stressed that it is clearer than ever that the government is attempting to raise the consumption tax rate in order to decrease corporate taxes even further.

The participants decided to lead 131 thousand association members to make a big movement to block the tax rate increase at the general election, which will most likely take place in November.

Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Ikeda Kanko spoke to the meeting as a coordinator of the association. (end)