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

JCP demands cancellation of mal-revision of medical services

A bill to adversely revise the medical services became law on June 14 after the Liberal Democratic and the Komei parties used their majority to pass it through the House of Councilors plenary session. The Japanese Communist, the Democratic, and the Social Democratic parties voted against.

The new law weakens the Japanese medical service system and undermines the health insurance system that covers all people. The law reflects the demands of large corporations seeking to reduce their share of social insurance premiums payment and of Japanese and U.S. business circles seeking profit by expanding the private insurance market.

Concerning future struggles, Koike Akira, Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member and JCP Policy Commission chair said, "The JCP demands that the law be repealed and that the increase in burdens on people be cancelled."

Stressing the need not to create even a single victim of the mal-revision, Koike called for future struggles to directly confront the policy of discarding people's lives and health in cooperation with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and patients.
- Akahata, June 15, 2006