Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki on Wednesday told the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Tokyo that he will pursue continuation of the single rate consumption tax instead of the tiered sales levy used by other OECD members.

Tanigaki made the comment in response to OECD Secretary General Donald Johnston's remark that a tiered sales tax -- charging lower rates on living essentials and higher rates on luxuries -- could increase administrative costs and lead to evasion, a Finance Ministry official said.

"We would like to maintain a single rate, if possible," Tanigaki reportedly told Johnston.