Diet enacts new budget destroying living condition, economy, and constitution

The fiscal 2004 national budget that will force people to pay an additional 3 trillion yen in the next 3 years was enacted on March 26 after it was approved by a majority of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties in the House of Councilors.

The Japanese Communist, Social Democratic, and Democratic parties voted against.

Speaking on behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, Hayashi Toshiko stressed, "What is needed now is to use more tax money to improve social services, increase employment, and support smaller businesses so that the economy can recover and people's living condition be defended."

By increasing pension premiums and taxes on ordinary people, the government plans to continuously impose heavier burdens on citizens for the next 10 years, forcing them to pay an extra 7 trillion yen. With the new budget, government intends to retain wasteful public works projects and involve Japan more in the U.S. military strategy.

JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on the same day said that serious issues, including the bill to adversely revise the pension system and the contingency-related bills, are stacked in the current Diet session. He stated that the JCP will engage in parliamentary debates for the benefits of citizens. (end)