politics

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

All parties except JCP get government subsidies while forcing the elderly to pay more in taxes

At a time when working people are told to pay more in residential taxes, the government paid a total of more than 7.9 billion yen (about 69 million dollars) in subsidies on July 20 to seven political parties that do not include the Japanese Communist Part.

This was the second installment of the four regular payments of 31.7 billion yen to political parties. The subsidies are paid in accordance with the number of parliamentary seats and voting strength.

On the second installment, the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party received 4.21 billion yen (about 38 million dollars) and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan 2.6 billion yen (about 23 million dollars).

The JCP has consistently refused to accept the government subsidy that forces all Japanese citizens, including babies and elderly people, to pay 250 yen (about 2.2 dollars) each, in violation of the Constitutional freedom of choosing a political party.

The JCP asserts that a political party must secure its political funds by increasing ties with the public and receiving donations from individual supporters, including subscription fees to Akahata newspaper. This is in contrast with the other parties that are heavily dependent on the government subsidies as well as corporate donations.
- Akahata, July 21, 2006