TOKYO (REUTERS) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Friday that he is not thinking of lowering the effective corporate tax rate right now, but that the government would need to figure out how to make up for lost tax revenue if it did.

Mr Aso, speaking to reporters, also reiterated the government's plan to bring forward the end of a special corporate tax hike used to fund reconstruction after the March 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster.

Mr Aso also said he is reluctant to issue new debt to fund economic stimulus that would offset the blow from an expected increase in the sales tax.