消費増税の転嫁 不当な「買いたたき」を許すな

The Yomiuri Shimbun March 24, 2014
Browbeating smaller firms to avoid consumption tax burden unforgivable
消費増税の転嫁　不当な「買いたたき」を許すな（3月24日付・読売社説）

The increase in the consumption tax to 8 percent from the current 5 percent, effective from April 1, is drawing near.
　消費税率が５％から８％に引き上げられる４月１日が迫っている。

While it is important to have the consumption tax increase included in the prices of goods, it also is essential to provide appropriate and easy-to-understand information of prices after the tax hike on products and services to avoid confusing consumers.
　増税分を円滑に販売価格に転嫁するとともに、消費者にわかりやすい価格表示によって、混乱を回避することが不可欠である。

With the tax increase close at hand, many companies, including restaurant chains and railway operators, have been publicizing their plans one after another to add the tax hike to their prices.
　消費増税を目前に控え、外食や鉄道などの企業各社は、増税分を転嫁するための値上げを相次いで発表している。

A number of companies, meanwhile, plan to leave their prices unchanged in the face of the higher consumption tax. Corporate efforts to maintain current prices can certainly be called a significant pricing strategy.
　一方、あえて価格を据え置く例も少なくない。コスト削減など企業努力で顧客の減少を防ぐのも、重要な価格戦略と言えよう。

However, unlawful attempts by major companies to use their strong positions to force subcontractors and wholesale suppliers to keep prices down must never be condoned. Such illegitimate actions could cause the business situations of many small and medium-size enterprises to deteriorate.
　ただし、大企業が優位な立場を利用して納入業者に価格の据え置きを強いる「買いたたき」などは許されない。多くの中小企業を経営悪化に追い込む恐れがある。

In October last year, the government put into force a law on special measures to ensure the smooth and proper shifting of the tax increase to prices and prohibiting efforts to refuse to pass the higher tax on to prices. A team comprising about 600 monitors has been set up to clamp down on refusals to shift the consumption tax increase on to prices. The monitors will maintain a tight rein over violations.
　政府は昨年１０月に消費税転嫁対策特別措置法を施行し、価格転嫁を拒否する行為を禁止した。転嫁拒否を取り締まる約６００人の「転嫁Ｇメン」も新設し、違反に目を光らせている。

It is problematic that 850 businesses had been given administrative warnings over suspected violations across the country as of the end of February.
　特措法に触れる恐れがあるとして指導を受けた企業が、２月末ですでに約８５０社に達したのは問題だろう。

There is a possibility that major firms’ moves to try to force the higher tax burdens unlawfully on their subcontractors and suppliers may spread further after the consumption tax increase to offset increased tax burdens of the big firms. The government must maintain utmost vigilance.
　納入業者に負担を押しつけようとする動きが、増税後はさらに拡大しかねず、政府は監視を一段と強めねばならない。

Tax-exclusive price tags

A number of subcontractors and suppliers with business ties with large companies are likely to be reluctant to report to the government in the event of big firms refusing their requests to increase their prices, out of fear that their business partnerships could be severed in retaliation.
　取引の打ち切りを恐れ、転嫁を拒否されても通報できない納入業者も少なくないはずだ。

After the April 1 tax increase, the Fair Trade Commission and the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency plan to survey about 4 million small and midsize companies on the tax hike situation. The survey should help prevent unfair business transactions.
　公正取引委員会と中小企業庁は増税後、全国の中小企業約４００万社を調査する。不当取引の防止につなげたい。

The government should not merely wait for businesses to provide relevant information. It should aggressively carry out fact-finding activities, such as by conducting hearings.
　政府は業者からの情報提供を待つだけでなく、独自に聞き取り調査を行うなど、積極的な実態把握にも努めるべきである。

It is important for subcontractors and suppliers to take steps to defend themselves, such as documenting in detail the process of pricing negotiations with large companies.
　納入業者側も、価格交渉の経緯を詳細に記録するなど、自衛策を講じることが大切だ。

Retailers generally have been obliged to put tax-inclusive prices on their products to enable customers to understand at a glance how much they have to pay, but the law for the special measures acknowledges that price tags might exclude the tax.
　小売店での価格表示は従来、支払額が顧客に一目で分かる税込み価格が義務づけられていたが、特措法は小売店での税抜き価格の表示も容認した。

Given that the consumption tax is scheduled to be raised again, from 8 percent to 10 percent, in October 2015, this provision is aimed at allowing retailers to avoid changing price tags again.
　２０１５年１０月に税率が８％からさらに１０％へ引き上げられる予定であることから、再び値札を変更する手間を省く狙いがある。

Retailers should ensure that their prices are easy for consumers to understand, regardless of whether they include the tax hike or not.
　小売店は価格が税込みか税抜きか、明確に表示し、消費者が戸惑わないようにしてほしい。

Railway and bus fares in some regions are to be raised in increments of ¥1 for users of IC cards, while fares for those who pay in cash will be raised in ¥10 increments for the same railway and bus service sections.
　鉄道やバスでは同一区間の料金が、ＩＣカード乗車券は１円単位で、現金で買う切符は１０円単位で値上げされる地域もある。

It is quite possible that train and bus passengers will express dissatisfaction over the “double fare” structure. Efforts must be made to thoroughly familiarize passengers with the new fare system.
　二重運賃に対して、乗客から不満が出る恐れもある。新たな運賃制度の周知徹底が求められる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 24, 2014)
（2014年3月24日01時29分  読売新聞）