A staff of Lawson, Inc. convenience store changes price tags ahead of a sales tax hike, in Tokyo on March 31. Japan's sales tax will rise on Tuesday to 8 percent from 5 percent, the first increase in 17 years and the first step in a two-stage boost that is set to take the levy to 10 percent in 2015 as part an effort to curb the nation's massive public debt. Reuters/Yuya Shino