Mainichi: Corporate Tax Funds Relief:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200322/p2g/00m/0na/010000c

Article:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan plans to implement corporate tax refunds for companies that have been forced to incur losses due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, a government source said Saturday.

The measure would mainly apply to small and midsize companies such as restaurant operators and school lunch suppliers, as well as large companies that usually are not eligible for such tax relief, the source said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government would also enable business operators to expedite procedures for filing for tax refunds, it said.

Ideas:

Anything the government tries to do is good. But it needs to do it more than once. Tax refunds will help but most likely companies need money as companies are people and not just a name on a piece of paper. 

The reduction of paperwork and or the procedures needed for refunds or cash handouts are very important as people need to relief now, not six weeks from now.

Article:

Together with an emergency economic package it will draw up next month, the government aims to support corporate finances and bolster the Japanese economy as the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus appears likely to significantly affect global growth.

With the envisaged tax refund, the government plans to assist catering companies that have been forced to discard food for school lunches following Abe's call for schools to shut down from early this month through the end of a spring vacation in early April.

Owners of restaurants and music clubs may also apply for tax refunds due to losses from the cost of disinfection and facility renewals if customers are found to have been infected with the virus.

Article:

Again whatever is needed, including the idea of transitioning businesses from their present product/service focus to whatever is needed in the economy now.

Such as supermarkets moving to providing services where customers don't have to enter the supermarket, such as more restaurants using delivery apps and delivery companies to whomever who wants takeout services. 

So the school lunch services companies can maybe transition to providing lunches and dinners for families in need, senior citizens in need or even employees and business, providing bento type meals.

Article:

However, a sales slump itself will not qualify a company for a refund if it stems only from the economic fallout, according to the source.

Aside from refunds, the government is considering separate tax measures for affected small and midsize firms and individuals as part of the new emergency package.

Some lawmakers and officials were advocating a possible property tax reduction or exemption, or a cut in the consumption tax, whose rate was raised by 2 percentage points to 10 percent in October.

On March 10, the government adopted a fresh emergency package of about 1 trillion yen ($9.6 billion) for businesses battered by the viral outbreak, featuring 500 billion yen in zero-interest loans for small and midsize companies falling short of cash.

The stimulus measures also involve 430.8 billion yen in actual spending under the fiscal 2019 budget.

Ideas:

To be honest, in the current situation, how can someone distinguish between a normal sales lump and the economic fallout sales lump.

Suppose the sales slump is related to a decrease in consumer spending and as such many business might be affected, not just those in the tourism industry or the export industry. All companies should be given the chance to receive whatever is needed. A company is people and not just an name.

Have a nice day and be safe out there!

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