Tax cuts won’t stop China’s flush of enthusiasm for buying toilet seats in Japan: finance official
Japanese toilet seats were the 'must-have' item on the shopping lists of Chinese travellers during Lunar New Year, Japan's media says
Cutting down consumption tax and tariffs will do little to discourage Chinese consumers from buying toilet seats in Japan it seems, a Chinese finance official says.
Japanese toilet seats – including those with in-built heating and warm water shower functions – were the “must-have” item on the shopping lists of Chinese travellers during Lunar New Year, Japanese media said.
Hefty consumption taxes and tariffs are believed to have encouraged many mainlanders to shop abroad for luxury goods – as well as daily necessities such as Japanese toilet seats.
This has led to calls for tax cuts to encourage mainlanders to buy these things at home to boost domestic consumption.
However, Shi Yaobin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Finance, said today that simply cutting taxes would not lead to a change in people’s shopping habits.
“Mainland tourists bought luxury goods as well as daily necessaries in Japan during the Lunar New Year holiday – I heard that also included toilet seats,” Shi told a press briefing in Beijing today.