“Japan’s parliament passed a landmark tax bill Friday, finalizing the legal framework to double the nation’s sales tax by 2015 as a step toward fiscal reconstruction. The upper house enactment of the contentious bill marks the end of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s tortuous 12-month road to raise the tax to 8% in April 2014 and 10% in October 2015. …The sales tax hike will be the first since 1997, when the rate was raised to the current 5% from 3%. Wow, more than tripling the tax between 1997 and 2015. I wonder how long it will take Japan’s political class to boost the rate to 20 percent?”
Related posts:
Bill Bonner: Is this a major change of direction for gold?
The Will Of The People Doesn’t Mean Jack To Drug Warriors
Believe a Politician and You Will Lose Your Money
The UK Recovery that Isn't ... the Market Recovery that Is
Bill Bonner: Our Visit to Miss Brazil…
Ron Paul, The New Militarism: Who Profits?
Jeffrey Tucker: Two Faces, One Totalitarianism
Anthony Gregory: The Twisted Premises Implicit in the Drive for War
Krugman thinks low interest rates are behind the boom in paper currency. Not so fast!
America's 'Lab Rat Economy'
Obama On Football
The American Democracy Pitch
"Protecting" the Public From Plants -- By Invading Their Homes
Cute, Jack-Booted Kid-Thugs
Silver Set to Double, According to… Apple?