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

Shii: JCP in Diet will work to meet voters' expectations

Prior to the opening of the Special Session of the Diet on September 21, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo spoke at the JCP Dietmembers' general meeting and said, "We will work to bring about a new situation to meet voters' expectations.

Noting that the JCP secured the nine seats it held previously and obtained 4.92 million votes in the general election despite the adverse wind blown by Koizumi, Shii said, "I believe that this result will serve as the solid basis for full-fledged JCP advances." He said that he is convinced of these achievements laying a solid basis for a full-fledged JCP advance in the future.

Analyzing the so-called "LDP landslide victory," he said that the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties together obtained only 49 percent of votes cast, and that the fictitious "overwhelming majority" for the LDP was made possible by the single-seat constituency system."

As the second contradiction facing the LDP, Shii pointed out that Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro campaigned only on the "postal reform" agenda, and that the voters did not give him a blank check.

Shii said, "The prime minister campaigned exclusively on the postal reform issue without discussing other issues. He kept silent about constitutional revision and tax increase plans. The fact that the LDP had to use this campaign tactic indicates how seriously the LDP gets bogged down."

He went on to say, "This kind of tight-rope politics cannot last long. If it fails, it will cause a new political upheaval. Let us take the offensive in the new Diet session to take the initiative in opening a new political phase."

He criticized the prime minister for trying to rush to get the postal privatization bills enacted without discussions on the ground that the public supports them, adding that the JCP is determined to scrap the bills by demanding thorough discussions with public input.

In connection with the recent moves toward a major tax increase, Shii said that the JCP will confront the LDP for reneging on election promises and at the same time expose all wasteful national projects.

Referring to the Democratic Party of Japan conforming to the LDP call for deleting paragraph 2 of Article 9 banning Japan from maintaining war potential, Shii said that the change requires serious public debate. He stressed the importance of increasing the struggle to establish a popular majority in opposition to an adverse revision of the Constitution.

Shii said that the new political moves after the general election will possibly increase people's attention to and expectations of the JCP. He concluded his speech by stating, "Through our work, let us reassure voters that their choice of the JCP in the election was important." -- Akahata, September 22, 2005