politics2

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JCP Chair Shii discusses latter half of Diet session

In an interview on an Asahi Newstar communication satellite TV program broadcast on April 5, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo spoke of the tasks in the latter half of the current ordinary session of the Diet.

Shii said, ﾒThe JCP will do its utmost to foil the four undemocratic bills in order to defend the peace and living conditions: the bill to adversely revise the medical insurance system; the ﾔadministrative reform promotionﾕ bill to cut back on public services; the national referendum bill as a step in preparation for adversely revising the Constitution; and the moves to revise the Fundamental Law of Education.ﾓ

Shii said, ﾒThese undemocratic bills will adversely affect peace and living conditions, and the JCP will do everything it can to foil them.ﾓ

Shii added, ﾒThe JCP in the Diet will also urge the government to change its economic policy to one of dealing with increasing poverty and the widening social gap.ﾓ

Referring to the ongoing U.S. military realignment, Shii said, ﾒThe government will certainly try to impose on local governments the conclusion of Japan-U.S. talks on strengthening bases in Japan as well as subsidizing the enormous costs of relocation. The JCP will make it clear that this must not be tolerated.ﾓ

Asked to comment on the ongoing discussions on the social gap, Shii stated, ﾒAt issue is the fact that the social gap is widening faster than ever under the Koizumi Cabinet but the prime minister neither apprehends the situation nor is willing to change it. The JCP will continue to call on the government to change its policy.ﾓ

Asked how he will refute the prime ministerﾕs argument that the social gap is a necessary part of social vitality, Shii said, ﾒThe ﾔKoizumi reformﾕ policy is a mechanism in which income is siphoned from ordinary citizens to profit the handful of very rich and large corporations.ﾓ He criticized the government for promoting the Koizumi reform by alleging that the wealth of some will spread to the whole society.

In connection with the administrative reform bill, Shii said that the government argument that the total number of public employees should be reduced will mean that the number of teachers and preschool teachers, firefighters, and public employees responsible for education and security will be reduced. Shii said that the government is taking the lead in undermining livelihoods and public safety. Shii said that the JCP will make every effort to block this move in solidarity with the public, along with engaging in debates in the Diet.
- Akahata, April 7, 2006