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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Bankers and U.S. government are main advocates of postal privatization: JCP

"It is Japanese and U.S. financiers, and the U.S. government, not the Japanese people, that show a keen interest in Japan Post's privatization," Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Daimon Mikishi asserted.

Daimon stated this during a summary questioning on behalf of the JCP at the Upper House special committee meeting on postal privatization on August 5.

Daimon pointed out that the office of the U.S. Trade Representative's report on foreign trade barriers released in March stated that Japan's bills calling for the abolition of government guarantees on post office life insurance (Kampo) are in accord with what the United States has long advocated.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro has insisted that he is not at the beck of the United States, and argued that the international community is in support of the Koizumi reform.

Speaking on behalf of the JCP, Daimon said that postal privatization will virtually shut out the financially weak such as low-income earners and petty account holders from receiving financial services. Daimon voted against the postal privatization bills, calling for them to be scrapped.

The postal privatization bills were approved by the special committee by a majority of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties. The JCP, the Democratic Party of Japan, and the Social Democratic Party voted against. -- Akahata, August 6, 2005