Key exec Motegi joins Japan ruling party race, vows "no tax hikes"

Toshimitsu Motegi, the No. 2 in Japan's ruling party, on Wednesday announced his bid to join its leadership race and become the next prime minister, promising "no tax hikes" in an apparent bid to draw a sharp contrast with outgoing leader Fumio Kishida.Motegi, the fifth candidate to join the Sept. 27 election of the Liberal Democratic Party, said he will not turn to raising taxes or health insurance premiums to secure funds worth 1 trillion yen ($6.9 billion) each, part of an already formalized government plan to achieve a substantial spending increase to boost Japan's defense and childcare…READ FULL ARTICLE