Itsunori Onodera, chair of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Research Commission on the Tax System, has called for accelerated internal discussions on a plan to reduce the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1% for two years starting April 2027. The proposal, originating from the nonpartisan National Council on Social Security, also includes income-linked tax credits and cash benefits scheduled for 2029. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi referenced the plan at a post-G7 news conference in France.