Japan’s government debt equals about 230 percent of its gross domestic product.  To raise money to pay that down, the government will increase the national sales tax to 8 percent.

Paying off massive debt seems prudent, but to avoid slowing the economy with the higher taxes, Japanese officials in the next day or so will propose a $53 billion spending package.  Host David Brancaccio speaks with the BBC’s Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Tokyo.