See no need to raise sales tax beyond 10% for decade By Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that he was not considering raising the sales tax beyond 10% under his administration, and that he saw no such need at least for a decade.

“I’m not thinking about raising it any more under the Abe administration,” he told a debate with other political party leaders ahead of the upper house elections set for later this month.

“I don’t think it will be necessary for 10 years,” he said, when asked about the possibility of a further hike beyond a scheduled rise to 10% from the current 8% in October.