November 28 & 29, 2025

A bill to abolish a provisional gasoline tax surcharge was unanimously passed and enacted at the House of Councillors plenary session on November 28.

Under this measure, the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of about 25.1 yen per litter will be abolished on December 31, and the provisional diesel surcharge of ¥17.1 per liter will also be removed on April 1 next year.

Regarding a decrease in gasoline tax revenues, based on claims the Japanese Communist Party and other opposition parties made during discussions, the bill’s supplementary clause states that in order to cover the revenue shortfall, a revision of corporate tax special measures, a review of excessively high-income taxation, and other measures will be considered.

During discussions on the bill, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira, at a House of Councillors Financial Affairs Committee meeting on November 27, cited that in Okinawa, a measure currently in place to reduce the gasoline tax by 7 yen per litter is in place based on the Act on Special Measures Incidental to Reversion of Okinawa.

Koike pointed out that in Okinawa, public transportation is inadequate due to the destruction of the train system during the Battle of Okinawa and the impact of the concentration of U.S. military bases, which makes private vehicles essential. He said that taking Okinawa’s history and transportation condition into consideration, the current gasoline tax cut should be continued. Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki in reply expressed her intent to maintain the measure.

Past related article:
> JCP and other opposition parties jointly submit bill on gasoline tax cut [August 2, 2025]