The Diet kicked off deliberations Friday on the contentious bill to double the 5 percent consumption tax by 2015, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is urging the opposition camp to help ensure its passage by the end of the Diet session in June.
During the afternoon Lower House plenary session, opposition parties blasted Noda's Democratic Party of Japan for seeking the sales tax hike after promising during the 2009 Lower House poll campaign not to pursue raising the levy during the elected lawmakers' four-year term.
Noda countered that the DPJ did not violate its election platform because the tax hike will not begin until after the current Lower House members' term ends in summer 2013.
"Our party made statements during the previous Lower House election campaign that were lame or went too far, and I must earnestly reflect on the past and apologize that the DPJ lacked discussions on the (platform) during our time in the opposition camp," Noda said.
But he once again reiterated the need to reform the social security and tax systems amid the snowballing national debt and rapidly aging society.
"We are at a crucial point where the sustainability of Japan's social security system and finances is on the line," Noda said. "We cannot run away from this social security and tax system reform, and the ruling and opposition forces must hold constructive discussions and implement the reform for the country and its people."
The outlook for the tax bill remains gloomy because the main opposition force, the Liberal Democratic Party, is more bent on pressing Noda to dissolve the lower chamber and call an election first.
Many DPJ members, particularly allies of kingpin Ichiro Ozawa, also strongly oppose the tax hike.
LDP lawmaker Takeshi Noda meanwhile pointed out that the LDP itself was not against a 10 percent tax but said various obstacles standing in the way of tax hike talks.
"Look around carefully. Do you really think the environment (is ready) to move the discussions forward?" he asked Noda. "There are many major hurdles, including seeking the support of the people, the DPJ's internal political situation and the party's policy principles. These matters need to be dealt with before beginning talks (of the tax hike)."
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Diet finally starts deliberations on tax hike bill
