Japan's PM Takaichi Discusses Consumption Tax Cut Plan
Listen to the story
Japan's Prime Minister is Sanae Takaichi. She wants to cut a tax called the consumption tax. This tax is like a sales tax. People pay it when they buy things.
Takaichi said something about the future. She said a future leader could move the tax back up to 8%. This could happen if she steps down in two years.
Right now, business leaders are worried. They do not understand all the details of the tax cut plan. They call this their biggest concern.
A bill about the tax cut is now in parliament. Parliament members started talking about it in the lower house. This is called the start of deliberation.
Vocabulary10 words
- Prime Minister
- the leader of a country's government
- consumption tax
- money you pay to the government when you buy things
- sales tax
- extra money added to the price of things you buy
- future leader
- a person who will lead later
- steps down
- stops being leader; quits a job
- concern
- a worry; something that makes people unhappy
- bill
- a written plan for a new law
- parliament
- the group of people who make laws for a country
- lower house
- one part of parliament that makes laws
- deliberation
- talking carefully about something before deciding
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Consumption tax 2. They could raise the tax back to 8% 3. In the lower house of parliament
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japan's Prime Minister is Sanae _____. She wants to cut a tax called the _____ tax.
Takaichi said a future _____ could move the tax back up to _____%.
This could happen if she _____ in two years.
Business leaders are _____ about the plan's details.
A _____ about the tax cut is now in parliament.
Parliament members started _____ about it in the lower house.
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