OSAKA — Candidates who intend to run from the Osaka No. 9 constituency in the June 25 general election spoke before 280 people at a "kokai toron kai" policy forum held recently in Ibaraki Ward.

"In order to deal with the current fiscal deficit, taxes need to be collected from more people by lowering the minimum income-tax threshold," said Nobumori Otani, a 37-year-old member of the Democratic Party of Japan.

"Well, it will be really difficult when you actually try to introduce it," argued Takeshi Nishida, a Diet member from the New Conservative Party.