How Will Business Be Affected When Consumption Tax Hits 8%?

Close Up Japan | 消費税8%で景気はどうなるのか

How Will Business Be Affected When Consumption Tax Hits 8%?

In April the rate of consumption tax will rise from 5% to 8%. Moreover, next year, depending on the economic situation, it’s scheduled to rise to 10%. Taking into account the low birth rate and aging society, the purpose of the tax increase this time is to cover the cost of social welfare spending on pensions, medical care and so forth. The ABE cabinet has placed great importance on economic growth, but people are concerned that business, which has been showing signs of recovery, will slow down as a result of the tax increase. In recent years, cabinets have avoided raising consumer taxes. Even KOIZUMI’s cabinet, which was popular with the people, did not raise the subject during its five years in power. The OHIRA cabinet (Liberal Democratic Party) decided to introduce consumer tax in 1979, however, despite revealing in the midst of a general election campaign that the cabinet would not introduce it after all, the LDP lost a huge amount of seats. In 1989 TAKESHITA’s cabinet introduced a consumption tax of 3%, and in 1997 HASHIMOTO’s cabinet raised this to 5%, but both cabinets were forced to withdraw from power. Besides this, the NAKASONE cabinet and the HOSOKAWA cabinet tried to introduce a consumption tax by changing its name to the “sales tax” and “the people’s welfare tax” respectively, but both gave up. Conversely, the current rise in consumption tax by the preceding NODA cabinet (Democratic Party of Japan) was a joint decision made with the LDP and the New Komeito party in exchange for the resignation of the prime minister. However, in the next elections the DPJ suffered a crushing defeat. Afraid that the economy will slip into recession, Abe’s cabinet revealed that the government would implement a five trillion yen stimulus plan. Citizens recognize the necessity for a rise in consumption tax, but suspect that these tax revenues, which are purported to be for welfare, may also be used for the construction of roads or buildings. Some people say that a consumer tax of 8% is still low compared to the rates of around 20% in Europe and other advanced countries. However, in these countries, daily necessities like food are either exempted or only taxed at a minimal rate. The tax is expected to be applied across the board in Japan, so unease is spreading about how this will affect those living on a low income. The rise in consumer tax, in addition to diplomacy and trade, seems to be having a huge effect on the approval ratings for Abe’s cabinet. (From Mach issue 2014 / 2014年3月号より)

4月しがつ
Shi/4 gatsu
April
ni
in
消費税しょうひぜいりつ
shouhizei’ritsu ga
(the) rate of consumption tax
5ぱーせんと
go/5 pa-sento
five percent
から
kara
from
8はちぱーせんと
hachi/8 pa-sento
eight percent
ni
to
がります。
agarimasu.
will rise
さらに
Sarani
moreover
来年度らいねんどは、
rainendo wa/ha,
next year
景気けいき
keiki no
economic
動向どうこう
doukou
(the) situation
により
ni yori
depending on
10じゅうぱーせんと
ju/10 ppa-sento
ten percent
ni
to
がる
agaru
to rise
予定よていです。
yotei desu.
(it)’s scheduled
今回こんかい
Konkai no
this time
増税ぞうぜい
zouzei
(the) tax increase
no
of
目的もくてき
mokuteki wa/ha
(the) purpose
少子しょうし高齢化こうれいか
shoushi’koureika o/wo
(the) low birth rate and aging society
ふまえて、
fumaete,
taking into account
年金ねんきん
nenkin
pensions
ya
and
医療いりょう
iryou
medical care
などの
nado no
so forth
社会しゃかい保障費ほしょうひ
shakai’hoshouhi
(the) cost of social welfare spending
ni
on
あてるとされています。
ateru to sarete imasu.
is to cover
安倍あべ内閣ないかく
ABE’naikaku wa/ha
(the) Abe cabinet
経済けいざい成長せいちょう
keizai‘seichou
economic growth
ni
on
重点じゅうてん
juuten o/wo
great importance
いています
oite imasu
has placed
が、
ga,
but
国民こくみん
kokumin wa/ha
people
回復かいふく
kaifuku
recovery
no
of
きざししが
kizashi ga
signs
えてきた
mietekita
(which) has been showing
景気けいき
keiki ga
business
この増税ぞうぜい
kono zouzei
(the) tax increase
により
ni yori
as a result of
まない
hiekomanai
will slow down
かを
ka o/wo
that
懸念けねんしています。
kenen shite imasu.
are concerned.
近年きんねん
Kinnnen
recent years
no
in
内閣ないかくは、
naikaku wa/ha,
cabinets
消費税しょうひぜい増税ぞうぜい
shouhizei’zouzei o/wo
raising consumer taxes
けてきました。
sakete kimashita.
have avoided
国民こくみん
Kokumin 
(the) people
ni
with
人気にんきがあった
ninki ga atta
(which) was popular
小泉こいずみ内閣ないかく
KOIZUMI’naikaku
Koizumi’s cabinet
さえも
saemo
even
5ねんかん
go/5 nen’kan no
(its) four years (in power)
在任ざいにんちゅう
zaininchuu wa/ha
during
ふれませんでした。
furemasendeshita.
did not raise (the) subject
1979せんきゅうひゃくななじゅうきゅうねん
Sen kyuuhyaku nanajuu kyuu/1979 nen
nineteen seventy-nine [year]
ni
in
大平おおだいら内閣ないかく
OHIRA naikaku
(the) Ohira cabinet
自民党じみんとう)が
(Jimintou) ga
Liberal Democratic Party
消費税しょうひぜい
shouhizei no
consumer tax
導入どうにゅう
dounyuu o/wo
to introduce
決定けっていしました
kettei shimashita
decided
が、
ga,
however
総選挙そうせんきょ
sousenkyo no
(a) general election
期間きかんちゅう
kikanchuu ni
in (the) midst of (campaign)
導入どうにゅうしない
dounyuu shinai
(the cabinet) would not introduce (it after all)
to
that
表明ひょうめいした
hyoumei shita
revealing
にもかかわらず、
nimo kakawarazu,
despite
自民党じみんとう
Jimintou wa/ha
(the) LDP
大幅おおはば
oohaba ni
(a) huge amount of
議席ぎせき
giseki o/wo
seats
らしました。
herashimashita.
lost.
1989せんきゅうひゃくはちじゅうきゅうねん
Sen kyuuhyaku hachijuu kyuu/1989 nen
nineteen eighty nine [year]
には
niwa/ha
in
竹下たけした内閣ないかく
Takeshita’naikaku ga
Takeshita’s cabinet
消費税しょうひぜい
shouhizei
(a) consumption tax (of)
3さんぱーせんと
san/3 pa-sento o/wo
three percent
導入どうにゅう
dounyuu,
introduced and
1997せんきゅうひゃくきゅうじゅうななねん
sen kyuuhyaku kyuujuu nana/1997 nen
nineteen ninety-seven
には
niwa/ha [year]
in
橋本はしもと内閣ないかく
Hashimoto’naikaku ga
Hashimoto’s cabinet
5ぱーせんと
go/5 pa-sento
five percent
ni
to
増税ぞうぜいしました
zouzei shimashita
raised (this)
が、
ga,
but
両内閣りょうないかく
ryou naikaku wa/ha
both cabinets
退陣たいじん
taijin ni
to withdraw from power
まれています。
oikomarete imasu.
were forced
この
Kono
this
ほかでは、
hoka dewa/ha,
besides
中曽根なかそね内閣ないかく
NAKASONE’naikaku
(the) Nakasone cabinet
および
oyobi
and
細川ほそかわ内閣ないかく
HOSOKAWA’naikaku wa/ha
(the) Hosokawa cabinet
それぞれ
sorezore
respectively
消費税しょうひぜい
shouhizei no
(a) consumption tax
名前なまえ
namae o/wo
(its) name
売上税うりあげぜい」、
“uriagezei,”
(the) sales tax (and)
国民こくみん福祉税ふくしぜい
“kokumin fukushizei”
(the) people’s welfare tax
to
to
えて
kaete
by changing
導入どうにゅう
dounyuu o/wo
to introduce
こころみました
kokoromimashita
tried
が、
ga,
but
いずれも
izure mo
both
断念だんねんしています。
dannnen shite imasu.
gave up.
ぎゃく
Gyakuni
conversely
前野田ぜんのだ内閣ないかく
zen NODA’naikaku
(the) preceding Noda cabinet
民主党みんしゅとう
(Minshutou)
Democratic Party of Japan
による
ni yoru
by
今回こんかい
konkai no
(the) current
消費税しょうひぜい
shouhizei
consumption tax
no
in
増税ぞうぜいは、
zouzei wa/ha,
rise
総理そうり大臣だいじん
souri’daijin
(the) prime minister
no
of
辞任じにん
jinin
(the) resignation
to
for
えに、
hikikae ni,
in exchange
自民党じみんとう
Jimintou
the LDP
および
oyobi
and
公明党こうめいとう
Koumeitou
the New Komeito party
to
made with
共同きょうどうめました。
kyoudou de kimemashita.
was a joint decision
しかし、
Shikashi,
however
民主党みんしゅとう
Minshutou wa/ha
the DPJ
つぎ
tsugi no
next
選挙せんきょ
senkyo
(the) elections
de
in
大敗たいはいしました。
taihai shimashita.
suffered (a) crushing defeat
安倍あべ内閣ないかく
Abe’naikaku wa/ha
Abe’s cabinet
景気けいき
keiki no
(the) economy
後退こうたい
koutai o/wo
will slip into recession
懸念けねんし、
kenen shi,
afraid (that)
5兆ごちょうえん
go/5 chou en no
(a) five trillion yen
刺激策しげきさく
shigeki’saku o/wo
stimulus plan
ると
toru to
(the government) would implement
表明ひょうめいしています。
hyoumei shite imasu.
revealed (that)
国民こくみん
Kokumin wa/ha
citizens
消費税しょうひぜい増税ぞうぜい
shouhizei’zouzei
(a) rise in consumption tax
no
for
必要性ひつようせい
hitsuyousei o/wo
(the) necessity
みとめています
mitomete imasu
recognize
ga
but
使つかわれる
tsukawareru
(which) are purported to be
とされる
to sareru
for
税収ぜいしゅうが、
zeishuu ga,
(these) tax revenues
道路どうろ
douro
roads
ya
or
はこもの
hakomono
buildings
no
of
建設けんせつ
kensetsu
(the) construction
にも
nimo
also for
使つかわれる
tsukawareru
be used
のでは
no dewa/ha
may
との
to no
that
うたがいをっています。
utagai o/wo motte imasu.
suspect
税率ぜいりつ
Zeiritsu
(a) consumer tax (of)
8はちぱーせんとは、
hachi/8 pa-sento wa/ha,
eight percent
ヨーロッパよーろっぱ
Yo-roppa
Europe
ya
and
ほか
hoka no
other
先進国せんしんこく
senshinkoku
advanced countries
no
in
20にじゅっぱーせんと
niju/20 ppa-sento
(the rates of) twenty percent
前後ぜんご
zengo
around
to
to
くらべれば
kurabereba
[if] compared
まだ
mada
still
ひく
hikui
is low
to
that
いう
iu
say
ひと
hito
people
mo
[also]
います。
imasu.
some
しかし、
Shikashi,
however
これらの
korera no
these
くに
kuni
countries
では
dewa/ha
in
食料品しょくりょうひん
shokuryouhin
food
などの
nado no
like
日用品にちようひん
nichiyouhin wa/ha
daily necessities
免除めんじょされていたり、
menjo sarete itari,
(either) exempted or
最小限さいしょうげん
saishougen no
at (a) minimal (rate)
課税かぜいだったり
kazei dattari
only taxed
します。
shimasu.
are
日本にほん
Nihon
Japan
では
dewa/ha
in
一律いちりつ
ichiritsu ni
across the board
適用てきようされる
tekiyou sareru
to be applied
見込みこみで、
mikomi de,
(the tax) is expected so
これが
kore ga
this
低所得ていしょとく
tei’shotoku
(a) low income
de
on
らす
kurasu
living
ひとたち
hitotachi ni
those
どのような
dono youna
how
影響えいきょうあたえる
eikyou o/wo ataeru
will affect
のか
no ka
about
不安ふあん
fuan ga
unease
ひろがっています。
hirogatte imasu.
is spreading
消費税しょうひぜい
Shouhizei
consumer tax
no
in
げは、
hikiage wa/ha,
(the) rise
安倍あべ内閣ないかく
Abe’naikaku
Abe’s cabinet
no
for
支持率しじりつ
shiji’ritsu
(the) approval ratings
に、
ni,
on
ひいては
hiitewa/ha
in addition
外交がいこう
gaikou
diplomacy
ya
and
貿易ぼうえき
boueki
trade
にも
nimo
to
おおきな
ookina
huge
影響えいきょう
eikyou o/wo
a[n] effect
あたえると
ataeru to
to be having
おもわれます。
omowaremasu.
seems

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