Japan to tell G20 it will raise sales tax as planned

Japan will tell G20 nations at a summit this week that it plans to go ahead with a two-stage sales tax hike from next year, Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday.

If the government were to raise the sales tax as planned, it will consider compiling an extra budget and submit relevant bills to parliament early next year for fiscal spending to cushion any impact on the economy, Aso told a news conference.

Aso will accompany Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Group of 20 summit to be held this week in St. Petersburg, Russia.