Koizumi insists on sending SDF to Iraq in defiance of increasing public concerns and protests

The 159th Ordinary Session of the Diet opened on January 19 as protesters in front of the Diet building chanted,"Cancel the Self-Defense Force dispatch to Iraq" and "Defend Article 9."

The 150-day ordinary session will last until June 16.

In his policy speech at both houses, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro reiterated his policy of pushing ahead with the "Koizumi reform line" which has completely gone bankrupt.

The speech was the first since the formation of the coalition of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties.

Koizumi stated that his government will carry out the policy of sending the SDF to Iraq by stressing that Japan must extend "humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq". He emphasized, "The SDF will not use force." But he apparently tried to conceal that the true aim of the SDF dispatch is to assist the U.S. and British occupation forces through its major mission to "secure the safety".

Even by quoting the Constitution's preamble in order to justify the illegal deployment of the SDF, the prime minister emphasized that Japan must fulfill its mission as a member of the international community because "peace can not be achieved merely by chanting."

Koizumi proposed enacting bills to "protect the public in emergencies" in addition to the contingency laws, apparently with the aim of controlling the public and mobilizing them for U.S. wars of aggression. He also emphasized the need for Japan to take part in the U.S.-led ballistic missile-defense project.

Concerning the pension system, he called for insurance premiums to be increased and benefits cut. He said that a mass tax increase will be necessary to fund the government share of the burden for basic pension premiums.

He also indicated that the consumption tax rate will be increased in FY 2007 by expressing his endorsement of the agreement reached by the governing parties on the "need to carry out a fundamental tax reform that includes the consumption tax."

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On the day when the ordinary Diet session was convened, labor union members, citizens, and religionists held rallies and petitioned the Diet with 1.56 million signatures calling for opposition to the SDF's Iraq dispatch and adverse revision of the pension system. (end)