Government must take responsibility for increasing unemployment -- Akahata editorial, April 22 (excerpts)

The unemployment rate remained high at a record 5.3 percent in February. The number of people out of jobs reached 3.56 million, the largest ever. The tragedy is that for many people, the increase in the unemployment rate means family breakups, loss of human dignity and even loss of lives. Their children's future plans are being shattered.

Jobless-induced drop from school

A survey last September by the National Federation of Private School Teachers Unions showed that 3,479 high school students have fallen into arrears with their tuition fees totaling three months or more, and 153 students had to quit school before completing the required courses. It should be noted that the number was a significant increase over the last several years.

Another concern is that massive unemployment has caused a sharp increase in the number of suicides committed by people in the prime of life. 31,957 people killed themselves in 2000. Since 1998, when the unemployment rate jumped to 4 percent, the suicide toll exceeded the 30,000 mark.

The number of homeless people increased by about 3,600 in two years to a total of 24,000. Loss of jobs can trigger many more tragedies such as loss of homes and families.

Helping those people facing insolvency is the minimum duty of government.

The Koizumi government, however, fails to fulfill this duty. On the contrary, it has decided to abolish the government-funded scholarships of the Japan Scholarship Foundation, and plans to further adversely revise the scholarship system on the pretext of "reform." The government is engrossed in accelerating write-offs of bad loans held by major banks, which will bring about more business failures and job losses.

The government must stop these "reform" policies which incur great pain on the people and cause tragedies. If the government continues these policies, fully knowing of the consequences, it is only a little short of a crime.

Strong measures needed to deal with joblessness

Major corporations plan to cut 300,000 jobs in their restructuring programs. To foil such outrageous plans, it is essential for the government to oblige large corporations to assume their social responsibility of maintaining jobs.

An immediate task for the government is to recover unemployment benefits of 300 days from the curtailed 180 days. The government is asked to drastically improve the system by following European examples in which the government guarantees the livelihoods of jobless people until they are reemployed. (end)