Japan LDP Conservatives Slam Kishida for Tax Hike Plan

Tokyo, Dec. 13 (Jiji Press)--Some conservative members of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for his 1-trillion-yen tax hike plan to help finance a planned defense spending boost.

Some even said that the cabinet of Kishida, the LDP's president, deserves a no-confidence vote by the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Critical views on Kishida were expressed at a meeting of conservative LDP members held at the initiative of Lower House lawmakers Minoru Kiuchi and Shuichi Takatori.

The gathering brought together about 20 party members, also including Deputy Secretary-General Hiroyuki Miyazawa and Parliamentary Vice Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Mio Sugita.

Most of the participants were close to the slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who called for issuing bonds to secure funds for enhancing Japan's defense capabilities.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]