Taxation
Tax revenues account for the single largest source of the government’s total income. Since World War II the tax system has been characterized by heavy dependence on direct taxes, and steeply progressive income taxes on individuals and high corporate taxes have constituted most of the tax revenues. In the late 1980s an indirect consumption (value-added) tax was imposed on most goods and services to augment the tax structure. Initially, the tax rate was 3 percent, but, after it was increased to 5 percent in the late 1990s, the government undertook a general overhaul of the tax system, in which tax rates were cut, the number of tax brackets was reduced, new deductions were introduced, and certain levies were lifted. However, in relation to national income, the total tax burden for Japan is considerably lower than it is for most other developed countries.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Japan - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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The Asian country of Japan is marked by contrast between old and new. The country values its complex and ancient cultural traditions. Yet Japan is known for its powerful, modern economy and its advanced technology. Japan’s capital is Tokyo.
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Japan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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The leading industrial state of eastern Asia and of the non-Western world, Japan rivals the most advanced economic powers of the West. It rose rapidly from a crushing military defeat in World War II to achieve the fastest-growing economy of any major country in the postwar period. Today only the United States outproduces it, although the industrialization of China poses a strong challenge. Area 145,898 square miles (377,873 square kilometers). Population (2013 est.) 127,260,000.
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