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

JCP Shii at the end of Diet session calls for increasing nationwide struggles

The 164th ordinary session of the Diet closed in effect on June 16 after deciding to carry over major bills to the next extraordinary session to be convened in autumn.

Carried over are the bills to adversely revise the Fundamental Law of Education, to establish procedures for constitutional amendments, to establish the conspiracy crime, to adversely revise the Self-Defense Forces Law that will make overseas dispatch a SDF's new major mission, and to upgrade the Defense Agency to a ministry.

At an assembly of the Japanese Communist Party representatives of both houses on June 16, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo stated, "Before the extraordinary Diet session begins, let us greatly increase the struggles to safeguard peace, education, and people's living."

Shii said, "The JCP in this session played its major role as the 'reliable opposition party'." As it becomes clearer than ever that the Liberal Democratic Party politics is incapable of dealing responsibly with issues in any field, the JCP sharply addressed the root causes of the mal-administration.

Shii compared the role of the JCP with that of the Democratic Part of Japan which set off the "faked e-mail" scandal and put up a counter proposal essentially no different from the LDP position. Shii stated, "This Diet session shed light on the harm of the attempt to establish a 'two major parties' setup which attaches more importance to a change of government than the interest of the public as well as on the importance of the growth of the 'reliable opposition party'."

Pointing out that struggles of people are increasing in every field, Shii said "The JCP has carried out the struggles in the Diet in cooperation with and supported by the movements of people." Referring to the developments of struggles of people in various fields, Shii stated, "Prevention of the adverse bills from enactment is an important achievement of the struggles of people."

The JCP chair stressed the importance of the struggles aiming at next year's simultaneous local elections and the House of Councilors election as well as the coming extraordinary Diet session.

"In the extraordinary Diet session, let us get all four bills including the Defense Agency upgrading bill withdrawn. Let us work at the forefront to develop every nationwide movement as well as to carry out our task to strengthen the JCP," Shii concluded.
- Akahata, June 17, 2006