The headline hit a few minutes ago, here: Japan – Mainichi reports Abe to hold news conference next week to announce tax hike delay
More from the Mainichi Shimbun report (bolding mine):
- The report also says Abe will provide reasons for his decision to dissolve parliament
- Dissolution of parliament to come as early as November 19
- Reports says Abe made a phone call on November 10 to the speaker of the lower house about dissolution and tax hike delay
- Government may reduce tax rate on necessities when the sales tax is increased in April 2017
No sources were quoted in Mainichi’s report
More:
- A dominant view is that Abe will delay the consumption tax hike by 18 months until April 2017
- Also an idea floating within the government that Prime Minister Abe should announce only a “postponement” without clarifying any specific timing
- Preliminary July-September GDP data, a key factor Abe is to take into account in deciding whether to raise the sales tax as planned, is due out on Nov. 17
- The final meeting with experts in which Abe will hear opinions over whether to raise the sales tax is set for Nov. 18, and he is likely to announce his decision after the meeting
- A senior LDP official said that considering other economic indicators, the preliminary July-September GDP data would “undoubtedly be bad.”
- In line with his decision to postpone the consumption tax hike, Abe has started working on a plan to dissolve the lower house as early as next week and call a snap general election by the end of this year
