Abe neutral on further hike in sales tax: minister

Tokyo

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remains "completely neutral" on whether to raise the national sales tax, Economy Minister Akira Amari said on Sunday even as he expressed concern about the strength of the country's economic recovery.

Mr Abe faces a tough decision by year's end on whether to raise the tax for a second time - doubling the tax rate over 18 months - in a bid to curb Japan's runaway government debt.