JCP announces nationwide simultaneous local elections policies

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JCP announces nationwide simultaneous local elections policies

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Koike Akira made public the JCP basic policies for the nationwide simultaneous local elections slated for April at a press conference in the Diet on January 19.

The document is entitled, "Adhering to the principle that residents are the protagonists of local politics, the JCP will strive to meet urgent public demands in confrontation with bad policies."

Koike, first of all, pointed out that the Liberal Democratic Party-led central government, which supports large corporations, is imposing heavier taxes on the public, cutting social welfare services, and adversely revising labor laws. He added that the ruling parties and the government intend to force through the Diet in its upcoming ordinary session a national referendum bill that will open the path for the adverse revision of the Constitution.

"In this situation, the role of the JCP squarely confronting these policies as the only trustworthy party assumes more importance than ever," he said.

Koike pointed out that many local governments have thrown out their fundamental role of defending the well-being and living standards of residents and have degenerated into mere subcontractors imposing the central government's bad policies on local residents.

He said many local assemblies have lost their original function of checking administration from the residents' viewpoint because of the strengthened "all-are-ruling party" setup in which the LDP, Komei, DPJ, and other parties except the JCP are collaborating.

Koike said, "It has become very clear that in most local governments the DPJ takes part in the 'all-are-ruling party' setup. By widely making known the fact that the JCP is squarely challenging the policy of imposing burdens on residents under this setup, we will make advances in the nationwide simultaneous local elections without fail."

The JCP election platform states that the JCP will:
(i) challenge the mal-administration sacrificing local residents under the "all-are-ruling parties" setup to make local governments play their original role of serving for residents' well-being;
(ii) correct the policy of many local governments of imposing burdens on residents while giving generous support to large corporations;
(iii) combat corruption under the "all-are-ruling parties" setup to make local governments become clean and fair;
(iv) fight back against the central government's attacks to destroy local politics and communities.

The platform calls on voters to vote for the JCP so that it can prove its irreplaceable value.
- Akahata, January 20, 2007