Japan firms say October tax hike impact milder than 2014 increase - Reuters poll

TOKYO (Reuters) - More than two-thirds of Japanese companies are feeling less pain from a tax increase last month than from the previous increase five years ago, which precipitated a recession, a Reuters poll found.The results of the Reuters Corporate Survey support the view of the government and Bank of Japan that the economy looks likely to avoid a swoon in private consumption, thanks to steps taken to offset how the tax increase would affect the public. Still, the overwhelming majority of..