Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi formally joined the upcoming contest for the leadership of the ruling party Wednesday, putting forward a grand design to tackle Japan’s sluggish economy without increasing the burden on taxpayers.
“Promoting policies without any tax hike doesn’t go against existing policies, but rather it alleviates public concerns about an increased financial burden,” he told a news conference, going against the agenda of a government he supported as the party’s de facto No. 2.
In late 2022, outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided on a tax hike in order to secure ¥1 trillion to finance an increase in defense spending, but the ruling party has yet to agree on the exact date of its implementation. Additionally, the incumbent government’s plans to boost child care spending will entail higher insurance premiums.
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