November 18, 2009

Japanese Communist Party representative Sasaki Kensho on November 17 at a meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Affairs demanded that the finance minister reconsider the plan set by the previous government to increase the consumption tax in 2011.

Eight months ago, the then Liberal Democratic-Komei government inserted a supplementary provision in the Income Tax Act, stipulating that a bill to increase the consumption tax will be submitted to the Diet in 2011.

During the election campaign in August, Hatoyama Yukio as the president of the Democratic Party of Japan repeatedly stated, “The DPJ will not increase the consumption tax for at least the next four years.” Even after the DPJ came to power, it agreed with the two other ruling parties, the Social Democratic Party and the People’s New Party, to not implement a consumption tax hike while they are in government.

Sasaki said, “The supplementary provision contradicts what you have promised. Don’t you think that removing the provision is necessary?”

Finance Minister Fujii Hirohisa in reply said, “I believe that making some modifications is the way to move forward.”

Sasaki said, “Before 2011, the government should remove the provision from the law.”
- Akahata, November 18, 2009