Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows at the end of a news conference to announce a raise in the sales tax rate at his official residence in Tokyo October 1, 2013. Japan decided to compile an economic stimulus package worth around 5 trillion yen ($50.96 billion) to offset the impact from a sales tax hike planned next April, the government said in a statement on Tuesday. The decision was made by Abe's cabinet hours after he said the government will raise the national sales tax to 8 percent in April from 5 percent in a bid to rein in the government's runaway debt. REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS)