January 22, 2012
In meetings held by the government in a few cities on January 21 to explain to the “general public” why the consumption tax rate should be raised, the only participants the government allowed were “businesspeople”.
January 21 was the first day of the tour in which cabinet ministers visited local cities to explain about the so-called integrated reform of social services and the tax system.
The Finance Ministry only notified local economic organizations, including local Chambers of Commerce and Industry, through its regional finance bureaus of the meetings to be held on January 21 and 28. Details concerning the planned meetings were not made public on the ministry’s Website.
In the notice, the meetings were referred to as “local explanatory meetings on the FY2012 budget”, without any mention of the “integrated reform” which the meetings focused on.
In a meeting held in Sendai City, in which Finance Minister Azumi Jun was present, only 160 people from the local business circles attended.
Explanatory meetings were also held in the cities of Sapporo, Osaka, and Shizuoka with the presence of Finance Ministry officials, including Vice Minister Igarashi Fumihiko. The general public was not admitted to any of them. In the meeting in Sapporo, only questions from two representatives of economic organizations were allowed.
The government plans to hold more meetings on February 4, to be followed by national lecture tours by Prime Minister Noda and Vice Prime Minister Okada.
January 21 was the first day of the tour in which cabinet ministers visited local cities to explain about the so-called integrated reform of social services and the tax system.
The Finance Ministry only notified local economic organizations, including local Chambers of Commerce and Industry, through its regional finance bureaus of the meetings to be held on January 21 and 28. Details concerning the planned meetings were not made public on the ministry’s Website.
In the notice, the meetings were referred to as “local explanatory meetings on the FY2012 budget”, without any mention of the “integrated reform” which the meetings focused on.
In a meeting held in Sendai City, in which Finance Minister Azumi Jun was present, only 160 people from the local business circles attended.
Explanatory meetings were also held in the cities of Sapporo, Osaka, and Shizuoka with the presence of Finance Ministry officials, including Vice Minister Igarashi Fumihiko. The general public was not admitted to any of them. In the meeting in Sapporo, only questions from two representatives of economic organizations were allowed.
The government plans to hold more meetings on February 4, to be followed by national lecture tours by Prime Minister Noda and Vice Prime Minister Okada.
