Four opposition parties jointly hold rally against adverse revision of medical insurance system

About 200 Dietmembers and their secretaries from four opposition parties jointly held an emergency rally in the Diet building on March 3 to help strengthen their joint efforts to put a freeze on the planned increase in patients' share of burdens for medical costs.

Speaking on behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi denounced the government and the three ruling parties for railroading through the fiscal 2003 budget without taking time to consider the joint bill by the opposition parties.

"The government and the ruling parties are acting against the interests of parliamentary democracy," Ichida said.

Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Okada Katsuya, Liberal Party Secretary General Fujii Hirohisa, and Social Democratic Party Secretary General Fukushima Mizuho made speeches, each promising to develop joint efforts. (end)