The recent agreement, after a long debate, between the government and leading opposition parties to double the consumption tax – from 5% to 8% in 2014, and then to 10% in 2015 – suggests that it has. But there is a real risk that the government will mistake this measure for the end of the reform process.
东京——日本的政治瘫痪是否已经结束？政府经过长时间辩论与主要反对党达成了到2014年实现消费税从5%到8%翻番，而后到2015年再增长到10%的最新协议，这项协议表明日本的政治瘫痪已经结束。但真正的危险在于政府会把这项举措视为改革进程的结束。其实，这项措施应当——或者仅仅标志着改革进程的起步。