Senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s tax panel agreed on Wednesday to overhaul the current consumption tax exemption program for foreign visitors, in order to boost tourism-related spending in the country.

Foreign visitors are currently allowed to use the tax-break program only if their purchases in each of two categories — “general goods” such as electric appliances and “consumable goods” like food and cosmetics — total ¥5,000 or more.

Under the revised program, purchases that reach ¥5,000 in value by visitors from abroad would be exempt from the 8 percent consumption tax regardless of product categories, according to the plan agreed at a meeting of the executives of the Research Commission on the Tax System.

The meeting was held for discussions on tax reform requests from government agencies.

The revamped consumption tax relief program will be … (read more)

Source: The Japan Times