Japan Aso - to stick to fiscal consolidation even if sales tax delayed

TOKYO - Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday that Japan would stick to its aim of achieving its primary budget-balancing target in fiscal 2020 despite a likely delay in the sales tax hike. "We have not given up on fiscal consolidation," Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting, when asked about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's expected decision to delay the sales tax hike by 2-1/2 years to October 2019. Aso said the government and ruling coalition were still ironing out opinions over the sales tax and that he would follow any decision made by the prime minister. -Reuters