Japan's annual carbon dioxide emissions will increase if the country scraps the automobile acquisition tax, whose rates are lower for eco-friendly vehicles, the Environment Ministry said Monday.
The abolition of the tax, scheduled for October 2015 in line with the consumption tax's planned rise to 10 pct, will increase Japan's CO2 emissions in 2020 by some 3.9 million tons from the level if the tax were to remain in place, the ministry estimated.
The tax's abolition, aimed at easing the impact of the consumption tax's hike, will lead consumers to turn to vehicles that are not environmentally friendly, according to the ministry.
Source: NewsOnJapan
