The Nikkei Shimbun reports today that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has begun examining the possibility of increasing significantly the Light Motor Vehicle Tax, the so-called Kei car tax, to offset the impact on local government...

The Wall Street Journal reports that in efforts to include the view of the people on the proposed consumption tax increase, Prime Minister Abe has gathered a group of 59 “knowledgeable people” to express their opinions starting Monday of next week. T...

An interesting article by the Nikkei Shimbun analysing the divergence of views on the consumption tax hike within the Abe Cabinet. Indeed something that will drive markets in weeks to come and a topic for Abe today, his first day back in Nagatacho af...

The Nikkei Shimbun reports that new direct investment by foreign firms to Japan is decreasing. According to government statistics, from January to June, new investment was at the lowest level in ten years. Abenomics has attracted short-term equity in...

According to the Asahi Shimbun, the Japanese government plans to propose abolishing tariffs on up to 85% at TPP negotiations in Brunei. This will not include politically sensitive agricultural products. 

A 100-member delegation left Japan to participate in the Trans-Pacific Parternship (TPP) negotiations that began last week in Malaysia. Led by Deputy Foreign Minister Koji Tsuruoka, the delegation also consists of representatives from the Ministry of...

This morning, GR Japan's Senior Adviser Dr. Llewelyn Hughes presented a study predicting that the governing coalition will secure a stable majority in the upcoming election. The Liberal Democractic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito Party (Komeito) coal...

While most politicians are out of Nagatacho campaigning for the upcoming election to the House of Councilors, Kasumigaseki is fighting over control of the nuclear energy policy discussion. The Denki Shimbun runs an interesting story about both METI a...

On July 6 and 7, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a second survey (telephone) in regards to the House of Councillors election. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) topped the list at 41% (the first survey conducted on June 29 and 30 indicated 44%) of propor...

Japan's economy is too large to continue to drift through recession and deflation. In considering the challenges we face, I always start from this basic realization. To put the size of the Japanese economy into context, as measured in nominal GDP, it...