LDP Leader Hopeful Kono Urges Scrapping Yr-End Tax Adjustments

Tokyo, Sept. 5 (Jiji Press)--Japanese digital transformation minister Taro Kono, who has declared his candidacy in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race, called Thursday for a tax system in which year-end tax adjustments would be eliminated and all taxpayers file tax returns.

Kono, 61, and LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, 68, who has also announced a bid for the Sept. 27 election, released their policy proposals at their respective press conferences Thursday. Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, is set to announce his candidacy at a press conference Friday.

Motegi, for his part, proposed a transformation of Japan through regional economic revitalization that would be achieved by setting up semiconductor production bases and boosting related industries.

Another major proposal made by Kono was dividing up the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry.

"By splitting it into a (ministry for) medical and elderly care and (one for) labor and pensions, and appointing a dedicated minister to each, we'll be able to plan and implement policies in a speedy way," he said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]