In response to criticism that the funding plans for his signature policies are half-baked, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that raising taxes to cover a defense budget increase while cutting income tax to lower the impact of rising prices is not a contradiction.
¡°Reinforcing defense capabilities to protect the lives of people needs permanent (financial resources),¡± Kishida told a Lower House Budget Committee session. ¡°An (income tax cut) is a temporary measure until wages increase to a level that can cover rising prices.
¡°The two policies don¡¯t contradict each other,¡± he said.
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