 JCP Dietmembers discuss local politics with local mayors The Japanese Communist Party on February 5 held a regional symposium in Fukushima Prefecture, northern Japan, to discuss ways to defend local govenments from the central government policy of reducing subsidies to local governments as well as from forcible mergers of municipalities. About 350 people discussed these issues with three JCP Dietmembers and four communist municipal heads. Participants resolved to exert their united strength to rebuild local finances in cooperation with local residents. Yamatsuri Town Mayor Nemoto Ryoichi stated that his town's nursing care insurance premiums are the eighth lowest in Japan and said, "The central government presses us to consolidate with larger towns on the grounds of fiscal crisis, but I believe that mergers should not be forced on us." House of Representatives Takahashi Chizuko spoke about her experience in going to areas damaged by typhoons and floods, and said that small municipalities knew very well about their people's living conditions and this helped disaster rescue and relief operations. House of Councilors Daimon Mikishi pointed out that business circles want to get rid of local governments that they see are disturbing business interests so that the central government can control tax revenues as part of structural reform. A large round of applause was given when a village assembly member reported that his village had sold 600 million yen in building lots last year in concert with the villagers in their efforts to rehabilitate the village's finances from failure of a large development project. (end) |