Nikkei reports that on Tuesday Japan PM will decide on tax hike delay and then December 14 “likely to be election day in Japan”

The Nikkei reports, according to unnamed sources:

• Sources who spoke with The Nikkei expect things to play out like this: Abe would decide, possibly on Tuesday, to put off a consumption tax increase planned for October 2015. He would then dissolve the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the Diet, to seek a new public mandate.

By holding the election so quickly (December 14 says the Nikkei sources) Abe hopes to leave a sufficient window for the government to compile a budget for next fiscal year (begins April 2015) and to have it clear the parliament

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During the week there were numerous rumours about re the delay and the election … for example: More on the Mainichi report that Japan PM Abe is to announce a delay to the next scheduled sales tax hike