The stimulus package is being offset by consumption-tax hikes aimed at reducing Japan’s massive debt burden – a process that will lead many Japanese consumers to adjust their spending downward. The promised structural reforms of the energy sector, labor market, and competition policy have yet to be introduced, and appear unlikely to take effect anytime soon.
刺激计划的效果因为旨在减少日本巨额债务负担的增加消费税计划而被抵消不少。增加消费税将令日本消费者减少消费支出。能源部门、劳动力市场和竞争政策方面的结构性改革似乎也无法立刻就起到效果。更令人担忧的是难以改变的现实——如快速老龄化且不断减少的人口，这些现实将成为未来几十年中日本经济增长的制约因素。