No sale

Why are some of these people too afraid to show their faces and protest? This is a democracy, right?

Because they don't stand fully behind their own opinions?

FYI: Zengakuren (see red banner) is a communist/anarchist league of students in Japan. The word Zengakuren means “All-Japan League of Student Self-Government.” Notable for organizing protests and marches, Zengakuren has been involved in Japan’s Anti-Red Purge Movement, the Peace Treaty Movement, and opposition to the Korean War in its first stage.

Because in Japan, you don't represent yourself. You represent your employer, your neighborhood and your family. Your identity and reputation belongs to them.

The protesters want to speak their minds and not worry about being identified and somebody passing judgement or using this photo against them in the future.

In a way, the red hat bands, face masks, and hand-painted "aprons" are a uniform actually.

Because they don't stand fully behind their own opinions?

Really? Do You want to pay a higher sales tax? By the looks of it, they have made up their minds already...

Do You want to pay a higher sales tax?

I won't be here when that happens. Instead I'll be living in a country where it's about double that. Doesn't make sense, I know, but it does...

So now, the only thing I will purchase here is food. Thanks to Noda's the liar.

JapanGal, care to elaborate?

Japan gal you can always go to a country with lower sales taxes, where that is I have no idea but if you want to live in this society you should be prepared to pay for it! At the moment, no one really pays their way in Japan. I guess that makes us leechers.

I hope the protests turn violent and bloody, because the stupid spineless politicians do not understand human language and voice of reason.

How many times did this ridiculous proposal was turned down only to be thrown out again and eventually approved and shoved down our throats?

I'm not sure what the alternative is, cut back on social programs for the aging population? That's not exactly fair either. Japan has a relatively low sales tax, it will become roughly average with this increase.

I hope the protests turn violent and blood

Nowadays the only protests in Japan which involve violence are those carried out by the right-wing.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussions.

If someone feels the need to hide their identity during activism, I don't have any issue with that provided they aren't harming anyone else or someone elses' property.

I hope more people will join the protests against Noda, crater face, the liar. Of course the rich and well off will be able to absorb or get around the rip-off consumption tax. Cannot imagine how the small income people (like journalists) will manage. Bring on the protest if you want a half-way human life.

I'm glad I'm not a politician. Everyone wants everything, but nobody wants to pay for it.

Protests dont do anything anything in Japan, the government certainly does not listen to the people

It is not the tax that is the problem, everything is overpriced here compared to other countries. How is it possible that the price of imported wine only went down a few percent when the Yen is so strong.

Tax tax tax !!! High tax everywhere !!

Why do you hide behind the masks and sunglasses?

You are wasting your time and voice as there is no accountability and responsibility in your action.

It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.

FoxieJun. 27, 2012 - 12:04AM JST

It is not the tax that is the problem, everything is overpriced here compared to other countries.

@Foxie, you hit a nail right through the core problem of Japan. Poor fiscal responsibility focused only on business expansion, not on consumers base and public political apathy over 5 decades are the cause. Japan needs to change its economic model to a consumer base model..

That tax is result games with "big Chinese market". Japanese companies had move some technology to China because "Chinese market is big". But China made clones. Japane lose work in world market. Also big Japanese companies really not super effective. Because may be Node reflect opinion of big not effective Japanese companies which kneeled in front of China.

Noda and parliament make mistake. Tax must be low. Duty must be up.

I'm not sure what the alternative is, cut back on social programs for the aging population? That's not exactly fair either. Japan has a relatively low sales tax, it will become roughly average with this increase.

Japan does not "have a relatively low sales tax".

As for the alternative, yes social programs must be cut because that is where the primary costs are. All Japan knows to do is raise taxes - that and huge social spending and inefficient business regulations are the reason their economy has been in the dumps for two decades. Which in turn makes social spending ever more unaffordable. Cutting social spending does not mean kicking Obaa-chan out into the street to die. Huge sums will be spent on social programs. But if they were to freeze social spending that will be to the benefit of future generations. It might also give Japan a chance to escape the mind boggling budget deficit they currently have. It is short-sighted to focus on just certain segments of society today to the detriment of everyone tomorrow. You can voluntarily cut back a little now - or be forced to cut back a lot tomorrow (as is happening in Europe now). If the Japanese get serious about the future, it would be an easy decision to make.

I think before going any further J-gov needs to get transparent and show people what they are spending on. Everything, down to the penny. These is too much money going to waste or simply dissapearing. Noda, show us your balance sheet!

Agree completely with you, Wolfpack. When this most recent tax hike debate came up, I'm sorry to say I bought the government's line about it being a bitter pill we'd all have to swallow. That was until I stopped to think about it for two seconds. Not to say that the J-gov is the only one in the world that's fat and corrupted, but I'd say it's pretty high up there among democracies. Cut wasteful gov't spending and take your thumb off the consumers-- that's the way out of this problem.