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The Japanese government is considering cash handouts and coupons to support households hit hard by the coronavirus. Do you think this is a good idea?

28 Comments
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28 Comments
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Yes, and along with a temporary pause on the big tax bites the government always takes at this time of year. That would be even better, especially for struggling small businesses during this difficult time.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

beats the heck out of raising taxes again...

12 ( +12 / -0 )

who would say "no"?

12 ( +13 / -1 )

People gotta eat.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A cash handout of 10,000 Yen per head after the Lehman shock had virtually no positive impact on the economy. The coupons that were being considered were for travel vouchers and Wa-gyu. Not sure how that can be considered helpful in day-to-day life. The most useful thing to do would be to waive off Inhabitant Taxes for at least one quarter and provide additional tax breaks based on specific income slabs. The maximum amount of care must be taken to ensure that part-time workers who rely completely on daily wages are protected first, which is often not the case.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Come on Abe, wet my beak.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

beats the heck out of raising taxes again...

But where would this cash come from?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Hard to argue with supporting those most in need.

Socialism, eh? Even our resident rghtwingers are seeing the light ;)

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Who will pay ?

All those stimulus economic messures will agzin make the future for our kids grimmer.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Yes. Supporting people in Japan is literally the Japanese government's job.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I hate package deals. Sounds like the 800 pages the congress put together for the Americans to receive and I will. But coupons? Heck no.

If they send me coupons, I will tear them up and mail them to Aso.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

If they send me coupons, I will tear them up and mail them to Aso.

Could you instead not tear them up and instead use them to buy food for those less fortunate for you?

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Exactly yes!!!

Absolutely yes!!!

No one in this world will say .. I don't need money because all of us needs money.. We must accept the reality!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

All the no votes must be from the millionaires on this site.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Don’t want your coupons or cash? Find a charity that will take them and/or find some people who need them. There are plenty of poor people in Japan; even before they were laid off\fired because of the coronavirus.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Umm, depending on the amount of money we receive, we can judge it whether or not effective. However, on the Japan Today's topic today, PM Abe is thinking of providing two masks on each house hold. Scraping up masks to suit the need of this situation requires an incredible amount of hard work. However, we will run out of two masks soon, meaning an effort that's bound to fail. Providing the same amount of money falls on the same result as well.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you don't need the cash or you don't need the vouchers donate them to people who do. Seriously..tear them up and send them back?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Cash, yes please. Cash is best.

Meat vouchers, not as happy, but yes please.

Travel vouchers, hmm, they won't cover the whole cost, will they? If social distancing is over and it's okay to travel, my kids' clubs will all be on and we won't be able to get away very often anyway.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

But where would this cash come from?

The sky, of course.

In normal times, socialism is well-intentioned but failed policy, but these are not normal times. People can't get by because of the situation brought on by the pandemic.

So some socialism / borrow-from-your-future-selves right now is both acceptable and a better idea than letting people suffer and making things worse all round.

But the socialism must not become a permanent feature, or else we are really doomed. Japan in particular has already borrowed so much from it's future tax payers that one fears it could precipitate a crisis in itself, but we have another crisis to deal with, right now. (If only the government had been fiscally responsible in the first place, no?)

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

If you give Japan Inc handouts all the time you can the people one this time.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I'm assuming these are one time cash handouts, so I voted no. I think a better system is to ensure that companies continue to pay their employees by providing tax incentives and maybe even aid to companies to avoid massive layoffs. Also they need to expand and speed up the unemployment benefits for anyone affected by this. But a one time cash handout is going to do nothing as we don't know how long this will last

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If you're going to give out coupons, make it valid for fruit and veg (or anything the user wants to eat). Everybody (who gives a d*mn about their health) eats them. Not everyone wants wagyu. Full of fat.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I voted 'no' because they should be passed 'considering' and doing it! These cronies could be dithering around for the next three months before anything happens. They also need to be looking at mortgage, loans and rental support for families and businesses.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Governments don’t have any money, anything they “give” to you they first have to steal a larger sum from your pocket.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes. I want to see my tax money going into something worthwhile.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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