Abe to announce consumption-tax hike plan Tuesday

The Japanese government will push ahead with plans to raise the consumption-tax rate from 5 percent to 8 percent starting from April next year, Japanese media reported Monday.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will announce the plan in a news conference late Tuesday, according to the report.

Experts have warned the Japanese government that if it proceeded with the planned consumption-tax hike, Japan's economy would slide back into recession.

Abe will also announce measures to prevent Japan's economy from falling into recession, the report said.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com