Tag - spending

 
 

SPENDING

COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 20, 2014
A better way to spend yen on schools
Japan's Finance Ministry wants to increase the number of students in each class to save ¥8.6 billion in personnel costs. This will result in 3,325 schools being shuttered and up to 4,000 teachers cashiered. A good idea perhaps, but why not prioritize spending on students who need the most attention?
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 2, 2014
Japan's recession may be shallower than first thought
The third-quarter contraction that tipped Japan into recession may not be as sharp as first thought, with economists revising gross domestic product forecasts as the Lower House election campaign started Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 27, 2014
U.S. consumer, business spending data point to slowing growth
U.S. consumer spending rose modestly in October and a key measure of business spending plans on equipment fell for a second straight month, suggesting some slowing in the pace of economic growth.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 9, 2014
China's PLA is getting more bang for the buck
The U.S. on paper may outspend all its rivals to ensure 'military dominance,' but China and Russia, for example, get more bang for the buck with lower salaries and fewer benefits for their soldiers and, in many cases, would pay much less to transport military personnel and equipment to a conflict zone.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2014
'Abenomics' at risk as firms put brakes on spending, hoard their cash
Japanese companies from NTT Docomo Inc. to Honda Motor Co. are putting the brakes on spending as they pile up cash, showing the challenge Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's new Cabinet faces in reviving the economy.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 27, 2014
Salarymen get a bit more to spend
Japanese wives are raising their husbands' allowances, but only enough to offset the April 1 tax hike as wages continue to languish.
EDITORIALS
Apr 2, 2014
Tax hike alone won't cure fiscal ills
The consumption tax hike alone won't resolve the nation's fiscal and social security woes. It needs to be matched by efforts to rein in government spending.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 1, 2014
Shoppers start coping with higher sales tax
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.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 28, 2014
Hidden tax hike surprises await unwary consumers
Tuesday's consumption tax hike will in principle affect all domestic purchases of goods or services, but there are still gray areas where consumers may get surprised by unexpected levies, government officials warn.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 28, 2014
Spending logs surprise fall as price pressures rise
Consumers unexpectedly reduce spending two months before the nation's first sales tax hike since 1997 — potential sign that emerging inflationary pressures are undermining purchasing power.
EDITORIALS
Mar 25, 2014
'Abenomics' after the tax hike
Uncertainties are deepening with regard to the course of Japan's economy after the three-percentage-point sales tax hike takes effect in April. Meanwhile, 'Abenomics' appears to be losing steam.
EDITORIALS
Mar 11, 2014
No need to break the budget
Consumers would be wise to resist the urge to break their household budget with high-end purchases before the sales tax rises by three percentage points April 1. That's because manufacturers are likely to remain as keen as ever to keep their prices competitive after the tax hike.
EDITORIALS
Mar 6, 2014
Trimming U.S. military spending
The headline-grabbing cuts in America's 2015 fiscal budget, unveiled by President Barack Obama this week, involve the downsizing of the U.S. military. The plans are controversial in light of recent events on the Crimean Peninsula and the so-called rebalance of U.S. forces to the Asia-Pacific region.
EDITORIALS
Feb 19, 2014
Data highlights fragility of recovery
The uptick in Japanese consumer spending in the fourth quarter of 2013 should be regarded as a result of the rush to make purchases before the consumption tax rises from 5 to 8 percent, beginning in April, rather than as an optimistic sign of economic recovery.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?