立たつ民みん 食料しょくりょう品ひんの消費しょうひ税ぜい0％案あん 原則げんそく1年ねん 参院さんいん選せん公約こうやくに 党内とうないに不満ふまんも

Regarding measures against rising prices, the Constitutional Democratic Party has decided to include in its campaign pledges for the summer House of Councillors election a proposal to reduce the consumption tax rate on food products to 0% for one year in principle.

However, the specific institutional design, such as securing financial resources, is yet to be determined, and there are also complaints within the party that “it is half-hearted and indistinguishable from other opposition parties that are also calling for tax cuts.”

The Constitutional Democratic Party has decided to include in its campaign pledges for this summers House of Councillors election a proposal to reduce the consumption tax rate on food items to 0% in principle for one year only, and then transition to a tax credit with benefits system that provides benefits and income tax deductions.

Mr. Eda, the former acting representative, praised the decision, saying, It was a decision characteristic of Representative Noda, made to protect the people suffering from high prices, even if only a little, and I want to highly evaluate it.

So far, there have also been cautious opinions about tax cuts within the party, such as Supreme Advisor Edano stating, If you want to pursue tax cut populism, Id prefer you form a different party.

Mr. Noda said at a press conference, It is a decision made in the context that we must also face the reality that the current generation is in extreme poverty and struggling to find enough to eat.

Never populism.

I want to responsibly work on returning the tax rate, he emphasized.

However, the specific system design, such as securing financial resources, will be worked out from now on. Led by Policy Research Council Chairman Shigetoku, discussions will be expedited, and they aim to present a proposal by the first half of next month.

Some within the party are expressing dissatisfaction, saying, If we dont present funding sources and short-term measures as a package, we wont be distinguishable from other opposition parties like Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Democratic Party for the People, who are also calling for tax cuts, and our stance will seem half-hearted.

On the other hand, Secretary-General Moriyama of the Liberal Democratic Party said, I understand that, as politicians, we have various feelings when facing elections, but we must seriously consider whether it will truly benefit the country and taxpayers in the long run.

The Liberal Democratic Partys members in the House of Councillors are calling for a reduction in the consumption tax rate, but there are persistent negative opinions, saying that unless alternative sources of revenue are presented, the party will lose its credibility as the ruling party. It is expected that how to handle tax cuts will become one of the main issues in the upcoming full-scale deliberations over campaign pledges for the House of Councillors election.