Economics

Japan Government Adviser Calls for More Fiscal Stimulus

Susumu Takahashi says policies needed ahead of 2019 tax hike
Measures should aid consumption and lift potential growth rate

Susumu Takahashi, chairman of the Japan Research Institute, speaks during an interview at the institute's head office in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. It is vital to confirm that Japan's economic recovery has momentum before the sales tax is raised further, said Takahashi, a private-sector member of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota

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By Connor Cislo and Emi Urabe

July 4, 2018 at 8:00 PM UTC

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Japan needs more fiscal stimulus ahead of a planned sales tax hike, according to Susumu Takahashi, an economic adviser to the government and chairman emeritus of the Japan Research Institute.

Takahashi, who serves as a private-sector member of the government’s Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, said that policy measures are needed to manage fluctuations in demand ahead of the tax increase to 10 percent from 8 percent. The change is slated for October 2019.