Use 18 JCP seats to mitigate people's hardships

At the opening of the 160th Extraordinary Diet session on July 30, the Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Group held a plenary meeting.

JCP Chair Shii Kazuo addressed the meeting and called on the 18 JCP lawmakers in the House of Representatives and House of Councilors to work hard to meet the people's expectations as expressed in the recent Upper House election.

Shii gave the following three points as pivotal to JCP parliamentary activity.

First is that their activity should go back to the basics of helping the public out of their difficulties, like that in rehabilitating rain-affected areas, preventing the adversely revised pension law from taking effect, and establishing a reliable pension system.

Second is that their criticism of the Koizumi Liberal Democratic-Komei politics should be heard clearly in parliament. Though being a minor party in the Diet, the JCP has a solid policy of a clear political change away from LDP politics. JCP arguments can move parliament, as in the case over the political funds scandal involving former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

Thirdly, they should bring to light the problems of the "two major parties" system and develop a new movement among the people calling for protecting the multi-party system in the people's interests.

Shii referred to opposing the consumption tax rate increase and constitutional revision as the most urgent tasks for the JCP Dietmembers Group in the current session.

Criticizing DPJ representative Okada Katsuya's statement in the United States calling for constitutional revision in order to allow the Self-Defense Forces to use force abroad in response to United Nations resolutions, Shii said, "Voters in the Upper House election by no means gave carte blanche to a consumption tax rate increase and constitutional revision." (end)