Fight against single parent tax "discrimination"

Fight against unmarried single parent tax "discrimination" January 16 15:31

"It's like a dream"
Single mother who is pleased with long-standing concerns.
Tax reforms have reduced income and inhabitant taxes on single parents who are "unmarried", as well as single parents who have "wreated" or "divorced" spouses.
The finally torn wall. I approached behind the scenes.
(Hiroto Kogaki, Political Department)

"Don't discriminate"

"Don't discriminate unmarried single parents!"
"Don't discriminate against children!"

The debate over tax reforms was closing on December 10, last year. Single mothers were singing on the ninth floor of the LDP headquarters.

In front of the room where the subcommittee of the LDP tax committee is held. Their facial expressions were very compelling.

"Discrimination" by tax

One person holding a placard, Toshie Otani (37).

Otani, who lives in Tokyo, is an unmarried single parent with a sixth grader daughter.

At the time of six months of pregnancy, the attitude of a man who was planning to get married then changed.
In the end, he never married and became a single parent at the age of 25.

Since then, Otani has been raising children for more than 11 years with one woman.
He says he has felt "discrimination" and "discrimination" because of "unmarried".
"It's completely different between unmarried and unmarried. Taxes are high anyway. Resident taxes are really high and income taxes are different."

Single wives who are "bereaved" or "divorced" with their spouse are subject to "widow deductions", which reduce income and resident taxes.

However, single parents who are "unmarried" are not eligible.
Because income taxes are not reduced, it is said that there are cases where it is disadvantageous to pay child support allowances based on income, etc., or to move into relatively low-rent public housing.

Mr. Otani earns about 2.3 million yen a year.

It is said that living with one daughter and one daughter is not easy.

"It's pretty tough. And it's so hard. People who are divorced and single parents go into metropolitan housing and rent is completely different.

"From a child's perspective, it's really irrelevant that their parents have or haven't married. I've always wanted equality."

LDP conservatives wall

Can I leave this difference?

Intense debate has been taking place between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party for several years.

The Komeito Party has been asking unmarried single parents to apply the “widow deduction”.

But the LDP was cautious. Opinions from conservatives were strong, saying, "If we take measures to reduce the unmarried single parent, more parents may not marry, which could lead to the collapse of the traditional view of family."

In fact, even in the debate on tax reforms, it was difficult for the coordinator to adjust to the end, with measures to support unmarried single parents. Executives of the Liberal Democratic Party's Tax Investigation Committee have been wary of taking tax measures, such as "involving the family."

In this discussion, the conclusion may be forgotten again.

In Nagata-cho, such views were prevalent. However, this time the situation was different.

"I want to ensure the fairness of single parents without breaking the basic family view."

The former Liberal Democratic Party tax chairman Akira Amari, former Minister for Economic Revitalization, told reporters on November 20 that he would positively consider measures to reduce income taxes on unmarried single parents. It is.

At first, if you are a recipient of "Child Rearing Allowance" ...

The original idea was to apply a special tax measure to unmarried single parents instead of applying the "widows deduction" itself, rather than applying it.

He believes that if it is positioned as a "special case" to achieve the goal of addressing child poverty, it can be explained to conservatives who value family views.

In order to make it easier for them to check if they are unmarried, the policy was to limit the number of recipients of the Child-Dependent Allowance, which is provided for the stable life of single parents.

The opposite! ?

Can this plan really help conservatives understand?

It was Tomomi Inada, acting secretary-general, who dismissed such a statement.
Conservatively known Inada, it was not a so-called "opposition."

November 18, two days before Amari announced his intentions to the reporters.

Mr. Inada talks with Mr. Amari, along with members of the Liberal Democratic Party's Women's Rep.
He requested unmarried single parents to apply the "widows deduction" as well.

Mr. Inada's argument is that if the target is only parents who receive child care allowances, it should be completely equal to parents who have bereavement or divorce because of income restrictions. was.

In fact, if we limit ourselves to parents who receive child care allowances, a single child is generally limited to parents whose annual income is less than 2.3 million yen.

For this reason, there is a difference from the widow deduction, which covers parents whose annual income is 5 million yen or less.

Inada looked back on the situation at the time as follows.

"It was a great opposition, so if we break it, we will create another wall and create discrimination. Taxes should be easy to understand, fair and equal, but we should discriminate where there is no reason. Absolutely strange. "

Mr. Inada, together with members of the Women's Parliament, met Secretary-General Kan and Chairman of the House of Representatives Ibuki on a daily basis.

But why did Inada, who also serves as chairman of the conservative parliamentary group, move?
There has been some surprise from inside and outside the party.

"Sorry, this article was based on the fact that I saw the article" The Liberal Democratic Party did not approve "and thought that it was really weird. I had the opportunity to meet and thought what they were saying was right.

Anda Inada disputed the cautious allegations of being conservative.

"It's a different dimension from breaking the traditional view of the family, encouraging a true marriage, or breaking a legal marriage. What is a traditional family? I think there is a family, but I don't think it's wrong because it deviates from its ideals.

"'Maintenance' and 'equality' go hand in hand. 'Maintenance' doesn't mean inequality or discrimination. 'Maintenance' can recognize diversity. '

Increasing supporters

However, the Amari Tax Investigation Chairman has continued to show a commitment to focusing on recipients of child care benefits.

Mr. Amari told reporters that the reason was "Children's allowance is the only way to identify unmarried single parents. If you try to do more, you will need personnel and others."

Nevertheless, Inada and his colleagues continued to call for a “widows deduction”.
In a subcommittee of the Liberal Democratic Party's Tax System, which was held on December 4, a dozen female members of the Diet raised their voices one after another.

And on December 10th, two days before the compilation of the tax reform general rules.
Inada et al. Made a final complaint with the support of single parents gathered in front of the room.

In addition, the "List of Members of the Supporting Parliament" was submitted. The roster listed more than 130 names, about one-third of LDP members.

"I'm so happy to tears"

Tax reform general rules decided two days later.

It included applying "widow deduction" to unmarried single parents.
Otani, an unmarried single parent, learned of this report in an article on the Internet. Involuntarily, she said a cheer.

"I shouted," Wow! "I was half happy that I had to give up, so I was so glad I was really tearless. I also got the childcare allowance just barely, I thought it was very important that the line would be very important, as a little more salary could make it out of scope, and I was finally admitted that I was finally on the same starting line. ”

The decision hit is

Mr. Koji Yano, head of the Ministry of Finance's tax bureau, looks back.

"We thought it would be a realistic and reasonable exit to consider the secrets of the child care allowance under the Special Taxation Measures Act in the summer, and to consider it carefully. Was out. "

He pointed out that without the efforts of women lawmakers, this revision would not have been realized.
`` It was decisive that those who seemed to stick with the family view asserted that it was 'a different dimension from the traditional family view', and that female lawmakers emphasized the elimination of unmarriage discrimination with the same voice. "

"While some believe that it would be strange to be the same as unmarried with bereavement or divorce, it has remained so persistent that such voices have been drowned out. It was organized as a bigger challenge of eliminating discrimination. ''

Will the LDP 'change' happen?

Mr. Inada expressed his willingness to continue working together as a female member of the Diet.

"There are few women in the Liberal Democratic Party, but we have worked together to change the minds of the Liberal Democratic Party's sanctuary, the taxation committee. We were able to get a 100-point result. One success. It was an experience, what to do next. There are a lot of ideas to do this and that. "

The Liberal Democratic Party has few women in the Diet and has not received much support from women. Behind Mr. Inada's actions, his awareness of such situations is clearly visible.

On the other hand, there are still cautious opinions within the LDP for supporting unmarried single parents.

In fact, some say, "If so many women move, it's hard to oppose the table, but there is a silent majority that could break the view of the family."

However, as society changes, this movement is undoubtedly a step towards recognizing diversity.

Can women's voices be reflected in policies to expand support?
We will keep an eye on whether "changes" will occur within the LDP in the future.