Measures to ease inflation must be speedy, says Japan’s Ishiba

Any measures to ease inflation in Japan must be speedy and shouldn’t impede the government’s ability to fund social services, Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday, in a comment reflecting his aversion to sales tax cuts as opposition parties campaign to lower the duty ahead of a key election next month.

“We must secure the necessary funds for medical care, elderly care, and pensions. On top of that, the response to the current inflationary trends needs immediacy. It needs to be speedy,” Ishiba said on Sunday at a conference hosted by non-profit organisation Japan Productivity Center.