Currently, the Japanese tax-free shopping system is one of the most convenient in the world, with the 10 percent consumption tax deducted right at the point of payment after showing your passport.

When Japan's consumption tax goes up from 8 percent to 10 percent next month, it looks set to cause no small amount of confusion for shoppers and sellers alike. That's because the new regime will ...

The Bank of Japan forecasts that the net increase in tax payers' burden will be around 2.2 trillion yen, or about US$20 billion. This is estimated to be about one quarter of the 8 trillion yen ...