Tuesday's hike of the consumption tax to 8 percent saw mixed reactions in Tokyo and Osaka. While consumers in both cities seemed resigned to the increase, there was concern about the additional transportation and food costs.
In Osaka, as in other parts of the country, Monday night saw long lines at department stores, supermarkets and gas stations as people got in under the wire to buy clothes and household items, canned and packaged foods, and gasoline before the increase. Some shops dropped their prices as well to take advantage of the last-minute shopping spree.
For the most part, consumers proved largely unfazed by, or even resigned to, the hike, saying they could hardly argue against it given its supposed aim to finance bulging social security costs.
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