Japan Press Weekly

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2007 March 14 - 20 [POLITICS]

180,000 people take part in nationwide day of action in opposition to higher tax

In a day of action at 580 locations throughout the country on March 13, two days before the deadline to file tax returns, about 180,000 small business owners, farmers, fishers, builders, and workers as well as pensioners marched in demonstration and demanded “no highr taxes,” a change in politics to realize people-oriented progressive taxation, and improvement in social services.

In Tokyo’s Koto Ward, about 500 people took part in an assembly demanding higheer taxes on profitable large corporations and expressing their determination to not allow a major consumption tax increase. They marched in demonstration to a local tax office and filed their income tax returns.

Japanese Communist Party House of Representative member Kasai Akira encouraged the participants.

In Nagoya, about 100 people participated in a demonstration calling for opposition to massive tax increases and to the levying of taxes on necessities. At a local tax office, local Democratic Traders and Producers Association (Minsho) representatives submitted to the tax office a 12-point request, including granting a grace period for those who have difficulty in paying taxes and allowing a third party presence at tax inspections.

Assembly held calling for the defense of taxpayers’ rights

On the same day, representatives of national democratic organizations held an assembly in the Dietmembers’ Office Building as part of the national day of action in opposition to higher taxes.

In his speech on behalf of the organizers, Kokubun Minoru, president of the National Federation of Traders and Producers Organizations (Zenshoren), called for increased action to demand a progressive tax system according to income and ability to pay.

A representative of the federation’s women’s council said, “The number of women engaged in small businesses who have found difficulty in maintaining decent lives solely on business revenues has increased about 10 percent in the past six years.”

Earlier in the day, participants visited the Finance Ministry and called on it to not raise the consumption tax rate. They also made representations to the National Tax Agency demanding that taxpayers’ rights be respected.