Japan rolls out environment tax

The Japanese government introduced an environment tax Monday to help curb the use of fossil fuel and combat global warming. According to the official estimate, each household will have to pay about 1,200 yen more in environment tax in fiscal 2016 than current levels. The introduction of the tax, which will be imposed on fossil fuels, including crude oil and natural gas, is in line with the government's policy of aiming to cut emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren or Japan Business Federation, is opposed to the introduction of the tax, calling on the government to halt its plan to further raise the levy in April 2014.