Japan's PM hopes Ishiba sees 'room' for corporate tax hikes, Kyodo reports Reuters
TOKYO (Reuters) – Shigeru Ishiba, Japan's former defense minister and front-runner in the race to lead the ruling party, said there is “room to raise” corporate taxes, Kyodo News quoted him as saying on Saturday.
“There are still companies that cannot bear the tax burden. I would like them to bear less,” Ishiba said in an election-related webcast, Kyodo reported.
Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan's former environment minister who is also seen as a front-runner in the race to lead the Liberal Democratic Party, has expressed his intention to introduce a carbon tax, the report said.
Koizumi said that if the carbon tax is not accepted, taxes will be paid on trade with Europe, where the tax is being introduced, Kyodo reported.
Sanae Takaichi, the minister in charge of economic security and another candidate for the leadership of the LDP, said she would oppose the tax increase for several years, media reported.
“We must not raise the tax at all until we see a step towards price stability, when demand exceeds supply,” Kyodo was quoted as saying.
Japan's LDP, which has a majority in parliament, will elect a new leader on September 27, replacing outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. (This story has been corrected to say Saturday, not Friday, in section 1)
