Japanese Prime Minister: Open to implementing more stimulus measures, but will not reduce the consumption tax.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Monday that the government is prepared to take further measures to alleviate the impact of the US tariff hikes on the economy, but is cautious about reducing the consumption tax rate. Opposition parties and some ruling party lawmakers are calling on the government to lower the consumption tax to help families cope with the rising cost of living. Japan's consumption tax is currently at 10%, with a reduced food tax rate of 8%. Ishiba stated during a parliamentary speech that the government "will not hesitate to take additional measures" to alleviate the economic pain caused by the US tariff hikes. However, he emphasized that any measures must target the households that are most severely affected, rather than covering a wide range of households.