The Japanese government and ruling parties plan to propose unifying the tax rates on beer and beer-like drinks under fiscal 2017 tax reforms.
Under the current system, taxes on beer and beer-like drinks vary based on how much malt a beverage includes.
The tax rate on beer is 77 yen per 350 milliliter can, 47 yen on a similar size can of “happoshu” low-malt beer, and only 28 yen on a can of “third-category beer.”
The government plans to cut the tax rate on beer while raising the rates on the two categories of beer-like drinks.
The plan is to gradually move to a unified tax rate of around 55 yen, which could undermine the market for beer-like drinks
Japan Today
HINTS
S (The Japanese) government and ruling parties 日本政府と与党
V [plan]
O [to propose] 提案する
V [unifying] 統一する
O the tax rates 税料金
→どんな [on] beer [and] beer-like drinks ビールとビールのような飲み物
補 [under] fiscal 2017 tax reforms. の下で 2017年度税制度
補 [Under] the current system, の下で 現在のシステム
S taxes 税
どんな→[on] beer [and] beer-like drinks ビールとビールのような飲み物
V vary 変える
based 基づかれた
補 [on] how much malt いくら 麦芽
S a beverage 飲料
V [includes]. 含まれる
S The tax rate 税率
どんな→[on] beer ビールの
V [is]
O 77 yen 77円
補 [per] 350 milliliter can, 350ml 缶につき
O 47 yen
補 [on] a similar size can 同様のサイズ缶
どんな→[of] “happoshu” low-malt beer, 発泡酒 低麦芽ビール
[and] そして
O only 28 yen
補 [on] a can 缶
どんな→ [of] “third-category beer.” 第三のカテゴリービール
S The government 政府
V [plans] 計画する
O [to cut] カットする
V [to cut] カットする
O the tax rate 税率
どんな→ [on] beer
補 while
[raising] the rates
どんな→[on] the two categories 二つのカテゴリー
どんな→ [of] beer-like drinks. ビールのような飲み物
S The plan 計画
V [is to gradually move] 徐々に動く
補 [to] (a unified) tax rate 統一された税率へ
どんな→ [of] around 55 yen, 55円あたりに
どんな→ [which]
V [could undermine] 弱体化
O the market マーケット
どんな→ [for] beer-like drinks ビールのような飲み物