Ordinary Diet session starts

The 156th Ordinary Session of the Diet began on January 20 to continue for 150 days to June 18. Unusually, the first item on the agenda was the supplementary budget for the current fiscal year.

Addressing the general meeting of the Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Group, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo said that the current session will overlap with simultaneous local elections and involves the possibility that the House of Representatives be dissolved for a general election. He said, "The JCP in the Diet must now work to meet the people's expectations by convincing them of the valuable role of the JCP and its policy so that we can achieve a JCP advance in the coming elections."

He said that the JCP will not only debate in the Diet but also help to develop the popular movement along with its parliamentary activities.

Concerning the people's serious living conditions, Shii said the struggle should be focused on the following three points: (1) opposition to tax increase and other plans to shift an extra burden of 4 trillion yen (34 billion dollars) onto the people; (2) opposition to the policy of destroying jobs and small businesses; and (3) opposition to the consumption tax rate increase. He particularly stressed that the struggle to foil the consumption tax rate increase is absolutely necessary.

On the North Korea question, Shii said that the Japanese government has responsibility to play an active role as a party to the Japan-Pyongyang Declaration.

Shii said that the government and the ruling parties should be ashamed of their submission to the U.S. plan to attack Iraq, when a majority of international opinion and world governments are seeking a peaceful resolution and trying to avert war. He also called for the wartime bills to be blocked.

Referring to the illegal donations to the Liberal Democratic Party Nagasaki Branch by a corporation, Shii said, "This cannot be dismissed as a local scandal. Corporate donations, particularly those from public works projects contractors, should be banned immediately." (end)