No political change without ending subservience to business circles and to the U.S.

On October 27, the day before the official start of the November 9 House of Representatives general election campaign, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo attended a discussion with five other political party leaders in Tokyo and called for a sweeping change in politics away from subservience to business circles and the United States and in the defense of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.

The pre-election event, sponsored by the National Press Club of Japan, was aired live on a national television network.

In presenting the JCP's election policies, Shii called for pension reform through increasing the state share of the burden in accordance with the Diet decision. He also criticized the prime minister for his indifference to the hardships lower income people will have to endure if the consumption tax rate is increased as called for by the ruling parties and the opposition DPJ.

Referring to the so-called "manifesto election", which supposedly would give the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan a chance to compete for political power, Shii said:

"The coming election is often referred to as a 'manifesto' election in which voters will choose a political power. But the question is the promise political parties make. This debate shows clearly that the governing LDP and the opposition DPJ are both for raising the consumption tax rate and revision of the Constitution. "

Shii also pointed out, "The true architects of the so-called 'manifesto election' are business leaders, including the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren). A false confrontation in the arena prepared by the business circles can never be conducive to real 'reform'. The need now is to end subservience to the business circles and the United States. (end)