Japan’s Ishiba Says Won’t Hit Tax-Free Savings If Elected PM

Japan’s former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he won’t slap a levy on tax-free savings plans as he answered questions ahead of a ruling party leadership campaign set to determine the next prime minister.

“Investment through vehicles such as the new NISA program should rather be encouraged,” Ishiba said Friday, referring to a government tax-free investment program that was expanded this year. “I’m not thinking of impeding this at all, or raising taxes on it.”

Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo Sept. 6.

Photographer: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Ishiba, a frontrunner in public opinion polls on who should lead the ruling party, was previously reported as saying he wanted to strengthen capital ...