Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to hike the nation\'s sales tax, Jiji Press news agency said Tuesday, in a move seen as crucial to chopping a massive national debt. Abe told a meeting of government and ruling party policymakers that the increase -- to 8.0 percent from 5.0 percent -- was aimed at \"maintaining the nation\'s trust and handing over a sustainable social security system to the next generation\", Jiji reported.