Car owners in Japan have been shouldering unfair levies and a new tax to replace the current car acquisition tax next year will not ease the burden, said Fumihiko Ike, chairman of the nation¡¯s biggest automakers¡¯ lobby group.

Under the government¡¯s plan, the acquisition tax currently paid on all new vehicle purchases will be phased out when the consumption tax is raised from the current 8 percent to 10 percent in April 2017.

Instead, the government will introduce a new variable tax of up to 3 percent on new cars depending on the car¡¯s fuel efficiency.