11.   If granted, the increase would take effect in mid-January, officials said.

12.   If the tickets were bought before the increase took effect, it is not added later.

13.   Japan recently reported that its economy shrank in the three months after the tax increase took affect.

14.   Later, a higher court ruled that the increases could take effect as scheduled.

15.   Most increases will take several months, because existing inventories are high and foreign companies may opt to hold prices where they are to retain market share.

16.   Production increases take time to work themselves through ports, pipelines and refineries, so their effect on retail oil prices and on national economies is often delayed.

17.   Rate increases can also take as long as a year to affect the economy, so the recent small increases could eventually catch up with the auto industry.

18.   Some of them console themselves by pointing out that the increases are taking place during a time of federal budget surpluses rather than deficits.

19.   The duty increase takes effect on all imported cigarettes immediately.

20.   The government recently reported that the Japanese economy actually shrank in the three months after the tax increases took affect.