Nationwide day of anti-tax action marks 20th anniversary of consumption tax

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Nationwide day of anti-tax action marks 20th anniversary of consumption tax

April 1 marked the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the consumption tax. Trade union and social advocacy organizations held a day of action throughout the country calling for the regressive tax to be abolished.

Tokyo

In Tokyo, the Liaison Council against the Consumption Tax and the Council for Promotion of Social Security took to the streets to collect signatures.

A 78-year-old man said, “How cruel it is to deduct premiums for the new health insurance program for the elderly starting from today! I don’t know how I can survive if the consumption tax rate is increased.”

Osaka

In Osaka City, many people responded to the protesters’ call for signing the petition. One said, “The consumption tax was introduced with the promise of better social services, but the government has been cutting expenditures on social welfare services for seven consecutive years and using about the same amount of money we have paid in the consumption tax to give corporations tax breaks.”

An 18-year-old student said, “I needed a lot of money to pay my tuition fees. Even though I earn money by working part-time, it’s still difficult. A consumption tax increase will make my living much harder.”

A 34-year-old woman said, “The government must stop squandering tax money.”

Yamaguchi

In Yamaguchi, union members affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) marched in demonstration through the shopping areas carrying placards and banners reading, “Higher tax rates for large corporations!”

Sapporo

In downtown Sapporo City in Hokkaido, local trade union and social welfare advocacy organizations held a street campaign, in which participants used a microphone to express anger at the government’s consumption tax increase plan and to call on passersby to sign the petition to end the highly regressive tax.

A 69-year-old man singed the petition, saying, “I want to stop any consumption tax increase. Now that the new health insurance system for the elderly will shift a heavier economic burden onto low-income pensioners by collecting insurance premiums, how can we make ends meet?”

- Akahata, April 2, 2008