After twice being postponed by the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the consumption tax on Tuesday will rise to 10 percent from 8 percent, with the government maintaining that the increased burden on consumers is essential to boost social welfare programs and reduce the swelling national debt.
The move remains unpopular among the public, and now attention turns to how it will affect the already wobbly economy.
In tandem with the tax hike, a variety of measures meant to cushion its impact will be implemented Tuesday, including rewards programs for cashless payments, a free preschool education initiative, and reduced levies for food and nonalcoholic beverages.
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