Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing an uphill battle in the Diet as her administration pushes to pass a contentious bill reducing the consumption tax on food from 8% to 1% for a temporary two-year period. Designed to deliver on a core public livelihood pledge and reverse a stagnant approval rating, the policy has instead ignited fierce debates among lawmakers, economists, and market analysts over its economic viability and fiscal safety.

The Mechanics and Market Doubts

Under the proposal, the consumption tax levied on grocery items such as meat and vegetables—currently at 8%—would plunge to 1% before returning to baseline after two years. While Prime Minister Takaichi initially campaigned on a radical 0% rate during the February House of Representatives election, technical constraints regarding supermarket POS and billing system adjustments forced a compromise at 1%.

In theory, a grocery item priced at 1,080 yen (tax-included) should drop to 1,010 yen. However, critics fiercely question whether the reduction will genuinely translate into consumer savings. Facing severe cost pressures from soaring global energy prices and a persistently weak yen, retailers may absorb the margin rather than lowering shelf prices. Furthermore, economists warn that any temporary relief could backfire when the tax rate is inevitably restored, triggering a sudden price surge that frustrates consumers.

A 10 Trillion Yen Funding Dilemma

The most critical hurdle facing the administration is funding. The two-year tax cut is projected to cost roughly 10 trillion yen—an amount equivalent to Japan’s entire annual defense budget. Because the consumption tax serves as a vital revenue pillar supporting Japan’s healthcare and long-term care systems, carving out a 10 trillion yen hole raises alarms in an economy where the debt-to-GDP ratio already exceeds 200%.

Market volatility has already surfaced. Prime Minister Takaichi initially assured lawmakers that the government would "not rely on deficit bonds" and that solid funding mechanisms were in place. Following this remark, 10-year Japanese government bond yields temporarily retreated from 3.1% to 2.9%. However, subsequent remarks suggesting that bond issuance has not been ruled out have left financial markets jittery. Analysts warn that persistent fiscal uncertainty could accelerate yen depreciation, counterproductively fueling the very inflation the tax cut aims to alleviate.

Political Fallout and Public Hesitation

Doubts also linger over the political longevity of the "two-year restoration" promise. While Takaichi insists the tax rate will revert as scheduled, skeptics argue that future politicians—fearful of voter backlash—will find it politically impossible to raise taxes back up, risking structural fiscal damage.

Recent public opinion polls reflect this deep-seated hesitation. While 56% of surveyed citizens express general support for lower food prices, a striking 58% harbor severe concerns over how the policy will be funded. As the Diet heads toward year-end budget discussions, Prime Minister Takaichi must walk a razor-thin line to convince a skeptical public and volatile financial markets that her bold gamble will stabilize, rather than destabilize, the world's fourth-largest economy.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]