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On October 1, 2019, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
With regard to the increase in consumption tax, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Coinciding the increase in consumption tax today, early childhood education and child care has become free of charge for children between the ages of 3 and 5.
 
At the same time, for elderly people whose pension income is small, we will be providing up to 60,000 yen in benefits per year and reducing long-term care insurance premiums. We intend to advance the social security reform to one that is oriented to all generations, and which brings peace of mind to everyone from children to the elderly. I believe the increase in consumption tax marks an important first step towards realizing this goal.
 
We will also closely monitor the impact of the increase in consumption tax, and take all possible measures.”