A Japanese lawmaker, Sayaka Shioiri, has called for an overhaul of the nation's inheritance tax system after the son of late actress Miho Nakayama, who died suddenly in 2024, renounced his 2-billion-yen estate to avoid a costly tax bill. The current Japanese law mandates a 55-percent maximum tax rate for inheritances exceeding 600 million yen, which must be paid in cash within 10 months of the death. The son, who lives in Paris, was unable to liquidate the non-cash assets in time without facing fire-sale prices or incurring massive debts. Critics argue that while grieving families are forced to surrender half their wealth to the state, political funds passed down by hereditary lawmakers remain tax-free. Despite the uproar, Deputy Finance Minister Shoji Maitachi dismissed the criticism, arguing that Japan's average inheritance tax rate is only about 14 percent.