Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji on February 4 took the floor of the House of Representatives Plenary Session to urge Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro to stop his "structural reforms."
Kokuta said, "Mr. Koizumi, you're clinging to a political line which has been proven to be a failure, leading the people's living conditions and the nation's economy to a catastrophe. The need now is for the government to take measures, without delay, to help improve people's living conditions and to rehabilitate Japan's economy."
Kokuta criticized the Koizumi Cabinet for trying to deal with the fiscal crisis by forcing people to pay more for medical services, by accelerating the write-off of banks' bad loans, by pushing smaller firms out of business, and by continuing employment measures that increase the unemployment rate.
He called for a moratorium on the increase in the insured's share in medical costs to 30 percent from April 1, and job creation by controlling long working hours as well as unpaid overtime and encouraging workers to use paid annual leaves.
In reply, Prime Minister Koizumi only read out quickly a statement written by ministry officials and stated that the health insurance system change will be carried out as scheduled.
On the Iraq issue, Kokuta insisted that Prime Minister Koizumi work with the international community to prevent the U.S. unilateral attack on Iraq.
Prime Minister Koizumi refused to do so, saying, "There is no agreement in world opinion (on opposition to the U.S. attack on Iraq)." (end)
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