防衛増税、決定見送りへ　「負担増」の払拭狙い―政府・与党

　政府・与党は８日、年末に向けた税制改正論議で、防衛費増額に伴う増税実施時期の決定を見送る方向で調整に入った。総合経済対策の目玉として所得・住民税の定額減税などを打ち出す中、負担増のイメージを払拭する狙いがある。決定を見送ると、増税は２０２６年以降となる可能性が高くなる。
　自民、公明両党の税制調査会で議論し、年末の２４年度税制改正大綱の取りまとめに向け文言などを最終調整する。増税の先送りに伴う代替財源についても検討を進める方向だ。（2023/12/08-10:49）

The Japanese government and ruling parties plan to forgo deciding the timing of a tax hike to cover a defense spending increase at annual tax system reform discussions this year, people familiar with the matter said Friday.
   The postponement is aimed at dispelling the impression that the government will increase tax burdens, especially as it plans to cut income and resident taxes next year.
   The move makes it likely that the planned increase in corporate, tobacco and income taxes to cover more than 1 trillion yen in defense outlays will not take place at least until 2026.
   The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, will adopt their tax system reform package for fiscal 2024 later this month.
   Their fiscal 2023 tax system reform package called for raising those taxes in stages over several years through fiscal 2027, but said that the start of the increase should be at an appropriate timing after 2024.