Japan's opposition party presents a bill aimed at revoking the supplementary gasoline tax
In a significant development, seven Japanese opposition parties have joined forces to pressure the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led coalition and promote solidarity among themselves. The aim is to lower gasoline costs in November and scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge.
The seven opposition parties involved are the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), the Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito, the Japanese Communist Party, the Conservative Party of Japan, and the Social Democratic Party. They submitted a joint bill to the House of Representatives on July 31, 2025, with the explicit intention of abolishing the tax surcharge starting in November.
During the extraordinary session of the Diet, held on Friday, the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito agreed with four opposition parties (CDP, Nippon Ishin, DPFP, JCP) to abolish the surcharge "as early as possible within this year." However, the ruling bloc remains cautious about implementing the abolition as early as November, making the prospect of the bill passing and the abolition taking effect in November uncertain.
The four opposition parties involved in the agreement are the same as those who submitted the bill. They are part of the opposition bloc that aims to ramp up pressure on the LDP-led ruling coalition. The opposition bloc intends to show solidarity ahead of discussions to be held during the Diet's extraordinary session.
This move is part of a broader effort to lower gas prices and provide economic relief to citizens. The agreement between the ruling coalition and the four opposition parties could potentially mark a significant development in the ongoing efforts to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge.
In summary, the seven opposition parties have submitted a bill to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge in November, aiming to put pressure on the ruling coalition and promote solidarity. The ruling coalition has agreed with some opposition parties to abolish the surcharge, but its stance on the prospect for the bill remains unclear. The prospect of the bill passing and the abolition taking effect in November remains uncertain.
- The Constitutional Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), Democratic Party for the People, Sanseito, the Japanese Communist Party, the Conservative Party of Japan, and the Social Democratic Party have proposed an innovative policy-and-legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge, understanding that a decrease in general-news like gas prices could greatly benefit citizens.
- Amidst ongoing politics and discussions regarding the abolishment of the provisional gasoline tax surcharge, the joint bill submitted by the opposition bloc, consisting of the CDP, Nippon Ishin, DPFP, JCP, is expected to bring significant changes to the policy-and-legislation landscape, influencing the overall photo of the country's economy.
