Tuesday, May 25, 2004

As most Tax Profs know, there are a number of active and vibrant scholars in this country who mine tax history for lessons to inform current tax policy debates. In Japan, the government is looking to tax historians to help shape modern-day tax reform:

A Japanese government advisory panel has turned to ancient history for inspiration in its struggle with the thorny issue of how to reform the country’s tax system. Members of the panel, which reports directly to the prime minister, recently heard from experts on population change in the Jomon period, from around 10,000 BC to 300 BC, and during the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan from AD 1600 to 1868.

For the complete story, see here.