An advisory panel to the prime minister that's studying revisions to the tax system has met. The panel is tasked with drawing up changes for next fiscal year.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the meeting that the income tax system needs to be revised to match the changes in society. One revision that's being considered is the spousal deduction for income tax.
Under the current taxation system, if one of a married couple's annual income is 1.03 million yen or less, equal to about 10,000 dollars, the partner is eligible for a 380,000 yen tax deduction. Because of this, many women working part-time tend to limit the number of hours they work so as to keep their annual earnings below 1.03 million yen. This allows their husbands to remain eligible for the spousal deduction.
However, critics say the current system favors families with a single breadwinner, and that it fails to match the change in society where double-income families have become a majority. The government panel plans to look into a new system that includes a "tax deduction for couples" regardless of the earnings of either partner.
◆be tasked with ～の任務を負う
◆draw up 作成する
◆taxation 課税
◆eligible 資格のある
◆breadwinner （家庭の）稼ぎ手
◆regardless of ～に関係なく、～にかかわらず
