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

Shii: Policy speech falsifies election results

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro delivered a general policy speech to the 163rd special session of the Diet on September 26, expressing hope that the postal privatization bills that were rejected by the previous Diet be enacted without fail.

The prime minister also stated that the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law aimed at supporting the U.S. war against terrorism must be extended after it expires on November 1.

Criticizing the Koizumi policy speech later in the day, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo stated as follows:

On postal privatization bills

The prime minister stated that the privatization of the postal services "gained a mandate from the people of Japan." This contradicts the facts. The Liberal Democratic and Komei parties won two-thirds of the House of Representatives seats, but the percentage of votes the two parties received in single-seat constituencies was only 49 percent. In the general election which the prime minister described as a national referendum on postal privatization, the approval was less than half. The JCP will make efforts to scrap the postal bills after a thorough discussion.

On SDF in Iraq

Although the security of Iraq is declining and the SDF troops in Iraq are faced with a deepening crisis, the prime minister shows no signs of examining the matter. The JCP demands that the SDF be immediately pulled out.

On international relations

Worsening Japan's relations with China, South Korea, and other Asian countries have been caused by the prime minister's visits to Yasukuni Shrine. Mr. Koizumi, however, did not show any signs of self-examination in his policy speech. -- Akahata, September 27, 2005