JCP Ichida criticizes P.M. Koizumi for trying to move toward making changes in Kyoto Protocol

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on July 2 criticized Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro for trying to "revise" the 1997 Conference U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) to accommodate with the U.S. Bush administration.

Prime Minister Koizumi in his first summit meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington did not say that Japan will ratify the Kyoto Protocol as soon as possible, nor did he try to persuade the United States to do so. The two leaders left the matter in the hands of "ministerial talks."

"This is tantamount to moving towards revising the Kyoto Protocol," Ichida said at a news conference in the Diet Building. While Canada is taking a step forward toward ratifying the protocol, Japan is lending a helping hand to the United States which is attempting to undermine the international agreement.

The Japan-U.S. summit talks showed the Japanese government's lack of independence on all issues, including the economy and foreign policy, he added.

He said, "The Japanese government must be willing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol regardless of the attitude of the U.S. government. Failure to do so will run counter to the unanimous resolutions adopted by both Houses of the Diet calling for the swift ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. The government should continue to persuade the U.S. government to ratify." (end)