The Form of Taxation Asks Those Left Behind - May 2025

The Form of Taxation Asks Those Left Behind - May 2025

I have long been uncomfortable with the taxation system and the social security system. Take, for example, the term "forest environment tax. Despite its beautiful name, the reality is that taxpayers have little sense of how much of that money is actually being used for forest conservation. It is, after all, part of the local allocation mechanism, and the idea that it is for the environment seems to be nothing more than a name. I feel the same discomfort with the environmental tax as a whole. We are convinced that it is "for the environment," but it is too ambiguous as to whether or not it really contributes to environmental conservation.

As for the consumption tax, it is said to be a fair tax, but in reality it is regressive, placing a heavy burden on low-income groups. The structure in which the working people lose out more than the working people also translates into social insurance premiums. I believe that the calculation of insurance premiums should be shifted to a system based on risk and wealth, rather than simply on income criteria. The burden should be balanced based on lifestyle, home ownership, stocks, and other assets. Such a system reform is necessary.

Furthermore, we are also focusing on the inheritance scene. I am not satisfied with the current situation in which the property of a person who has died after paying for expensive medical expenses with public funds goes directly to the bereaved family. I believe that the sustainability of the system can be improved by establishing a mechanism to settle a portion of the medical expenses spent during one's lifetime at the time of inheritance. I strongly feel that now is the time to reexamine the nature of taxation and social security.