Japan: food consumption tax, the ruling side hints at changes in NHK’s televised debate
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On NHK’s Sunday programme on 18 October, ruling and opposition officials debated. The LDP hinted at amendments. The bill is due to enter discussion in the House of Representatives on 20 October.
In this article
What was debated?
NHK reports that, in its 18 October programme, ruling and opposition officials debated the bill cutting the consumption tax on food products. According to Kyodo, Hagiuda Koichi (LDP) said he wants to approach the examination with no conclusion or vote decided in advance and to correct what needs correcting by listening to the opposition.
What each party said
Hagiuda acknowledges that the opposition’s criticism of the bill’s complexity “is not unfounded” and recalls that effects on local finances must be taken into account. Shimba Kazuya (Democratic Party for the People) mentions a House of Councillors where the ruling side is in the minority: “a realistic negotiation may be possible”, while doubting that the rate can return from 1% to 8% in 2029. Shibata Takumi (Ishin) notes that agricultural sectors and restaurants will be affected. Nishida Makoto (Komeito) judges “many points unclear” in the aid for low and middle incomes.
What does the bill contain?
According to the press, the consumption tax rate on food products would go from 8% to 1% for two years from April 2027. Whether the rate can return from 1% to 8% in 2029 is one of the debate points. Aid for low and middle incomes (“就業者負担軽減支援金”, a support payment easing the burden on workers) is planned in parallel; its amount is not given in this article.
Vocabulary: majority, opposition, secretary-general, “entering discussion”
The majority (与党) governs; the opposition (野党) means the other parties. The secretary-general (幹事長) runs the party’s organisation. “審議入り” means examination of the bill begins in Parliament; it does not mean the law is adopted. A “少数与党” (minority ruling party) does not hold a majority of seats: in the House of Councillors, it needs votes from the opposition.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01The present indicative
est / sont + attribute (noun, adjective, prepositional phrase)
Shimba Kazuya (Parti démocratique pour le peuple) évoque une Chambre des conseillers où la majorité est minoritaire : « une négociation réaliste est peut-être possible », tout en doutant que le taux puisse revenir de 1 % à 8 % en 2029.Key pointsÊtre in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.
02The passé composé
present of avoir + past participle
Lors de l’émission dominicale de la NHK le 18 octobre, des responsables de la majorité et de l’opposition ont débattu.Key pointsThe passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.
03The futur simple
stem (infinitive) + -ai / -as / -a / -ons / -ez / -ont
Shibata Takumi (Ishin) note que des secteurs agricoles et la restauration seront touchés.Key pointsThe futur simple means “will do” or “is planned to”. Add -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont to the infinitive (participer → il participera). Watch the irregular stems: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-, pouvoir → pourr-, voir → verr-. In the news it is used for fixed plans and outlooks.
04The present conditional
stem (infinitive) + -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient
Selon la presse, le taux de la taxe sur la consommation des produits alimentaires passerait de 8 % à 1 % pendant deux ans à partir d’avril 2027.Key pointsThe conditional expresses possibility, supposition, unconfirmed information and polite requests (“would”, “might”). It uses the same stem as the future and the same endings as the imparfait (-ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient): pouvoir → il pourrait. In the news it is used to avoid asserting, as in “is reported to…” or “there is a possibility…”.
05The passive voice in the present
être (est / sont) + past participle (+ par / de)
Shibata Takumi (Ishin) note que des secteurs agricoles et la restauration seront touchés.Key pointsThe passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).
06The gerund
en + present participle (-ant)
Selon Kyodo, Hagiuda Koichi (PLD) a dit vouloir aborder l’examen sans conclusion ni vote acquis d’avance et corriger ce qui doit l’être en écoutant l’opposition.Key pointsThe gerund means “while doing”, “by doing” or “when doing”. Its form is en + present participle (-ant). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons and add -ant (faire → faisant). The subject is normally that of the main clause. It shows things happening at the same time, or the means.
07Negation and its scope
ne / n’ … pas · ne … plus
Hagiuda reconnaît que la critique de l’opposition sur la complexité du texte « n’est pas sans fondement » et rappelle qu’il faut tenir compte des effets sur les finances locales.Key pointsNormally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.
08Citing a source with selon
selon + noun / organisation
Selon Kyodo, Hagiuda Koichi (PLD) a dit vouloir aborder l’examen sans conclusion ni vote acquis d’avance et corriger ce qui doit l’être en écoutant l’opposition.Key pointsSelon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.
09Pouvoir: ability and possibility
peut / peuvent / pourrait + infinitive
Shimba Kazuya (Parti démocratique pour le peuple) évoque une Chambre des conseillers où la majorité est minoritaire : « une négociation réaliste est peut-être possible », tout en doutant que le taux puisse revenir de 1 % à 8 % en 2029.Key pointsPut a base-form verb after pouvoir. Peut means “can” or “may”; the conditional pourrait gives a more reserved possibility, “might”. It does not necessarily mean implementation is settled.
10Expressing a plan or a deadline
être prévu / prévoir / être envisagé
Une aide pour les revenus faibles et moyens (« 就業者負担軽減支援金 ») est prévue en parallèle ; son montant n’est pas indiqué dans cet article.Key pointsPrévoir means “to plan, to expect”. Être prévu means “to be scheduled” and être envisagé means “to be under consideration”. In the news, read them separately from expressions that describe events that have already happened. They do not say that the event has already taken place.
11The subject relative pronoun qui
noun + qui + verb
Selon Kyodo, Hagiuda Koichi (PLD) a dit vouloir aborder l’examen sans conclusion ni vote acquis d’avance et corriger ce qui doit l’être en écoutant l’opposition.Key pointsQui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Citing a source: によると
noun + によると
共同通信によると、自民党の萩生田光一幹事長代行は、審議で「結論や採決ありき」ではなく、野党の声を聞いて直すべきところは直す姿勢で臨むと述べ、野党への譲歩に含みを持たせました。Key pointsAs in “LCPによると”, it shows where the information comes from. What that source reported follows. It is used differently from “私にとって”, which gives one’s own opinion.
02Expressing a possibility
〜可能性がある / 〜かもしれない
国民民主党の榛葉賀津也幹事長は、与党が少数派の参議院に触れ、「現実的な交渉ができるかもしれない」と語りました。Key pointsThese forms say something may happen. Even when “possibility” is written, it does not mean it will certainly happen. Check whose forecast it is, plus the time and conditions.
03Polite negation and plain form
〜ではありません / 〜ではない
反対ありきではないとしつつ、2029年度に税率を1％から8％に戻せるのかと疑問を示しました。Key pointsThey negate a noun and similar content. “ではありません” is the polite form and “ではない” the plain form. “成立ではありません” shows that it cannot be said to have been concluded.
04Indicating the subject: について
noun + について
公明党の西田実仁幹事長は、減税と合わせて導入される、中低所得者向けの「就業者負担軽減支援金」について、「曖昧な点が多い」と述べました。Key pointsAs in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.
05Giving examples with など
noun / expression + など
日本維新の会の柴田巧幹事長は、農林事業者や外食産業など影響が出る分野があると指摘しました。Key points“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.
06The polite past ました
verb stem (連用形) + ました
18日のNHK「日曜討論」で、与野党の幹部が議論しました。Key pointsIn “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.