JCP’s advance in this election will lead to change in politics: Shii

   On July 12, the House of Councilors election to be held on July 29 was officially announced. This is the first national election under the Abe government which has increased poverty and social disparities and rushed for adverse constitutional revision in the past nine months.

   The JCP is putting up 17 candidates in the proportional representation election and one candidate in all 47 prefectural constituencies except Okinawa where it is supporting an independent.

   “With the call ‘Vote for the JCP, the only reliable opposition party, to fight increasing poverty and defend Article 9,’ the JCP is determined to win this important election without fail by canvassing for as many votes as possible,” stated JCP Chair Shii Kazuo in his first campaign speech in Tokyo.

Pension mismanagement

   Pointing out that the government has accepted the JCP proposal to send out pension records to all pension account holders, Shii stressed that the JCP has forced the government to deal with the pension mismanagement issue that has drawn strong public attention. He said the JCP will make efforts to have the government immediately carry out this policy.

Poverty

   Shii said the Abe government is to blame for bringing about a situation in which more and more people have become “economic refugees” because the government has destroyed decent employment opportunities.

   Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is claiming that under his government 350,000 people without stable employment have found permanent jobs. However, the reality is that while 310,000 non-regular workers got regular employment in the past year, 430,000 people moved in the opposite direction.

   “A person who is treating people as disposable goods and still turning his eyes from the reality is unqualified to lead the government,” Shii said.

Taxation

   Shii pointed out that in fighting poverty it is necessary to revamp not only the employment system but also the taxation and social welfare systems. The government forcibly implemented tax hikes, including the abolition of the fixed-rate tax cuts, on the pretext of securing pension funds, but 80 percent of the amount of tax increase was diverted to reduce taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, Shii revealed.

   With respect to a possible consumption tax hike that has become a major issue, Shii said, “The consumption tax was introduced and its rate was raised without consulting the public beforehand. This tax is indeed a result of breaking election promises from beginning to end. It is absolutely unacceptable for the government to impose such an outrageous measure once more.”

Social welfare

   Referring to JCP’s urgent proposal of “One Trillion-Yen Emergency Welfare Plan” (*) incorporated into its election manifesto, Shii stressed that every policy item in this proposal is an urgent demand that grassroots movements are pressing for and can be put into practice while the JCP is an opposition party. “By advancing the JCP, let’s establish the basis of national politics attaching importance to social welfare services and implement these policies,” said Shii.

Constitution

   Referring to the fact that the LDP is placing at the top of its election manifesto a policy of “having the Diet propose constitutional revision within three years,” Shii stressed that it is totally wrong to throw away Article 9 when the international community is working for peaceful resolutions of disputes.

   “The surest way to prevent Japan from going to war is with the advance of the JCP, a party that has undauntedly been struggling for peace throughout its 85 -year history,” said Shii.

Ruling LDP and Komei Party

   Shii enumerated the Abe government’s record of activities such as a series of cabinet ministers’ corruption scandals and unacceptable remarks, the tax hike and other policies to destroy people’s living conditions, and their rush for constitutional revision and other measures to destroy peace.

   Describing the LDP-Komei Party government as a “dangerously speeding defective car whose accelerator is pressed to the floor,” Shii stressed that it is only the JCP that is squarely confronting the government.

DPJ

   Shii pointed out that the Democratic Party is unable to put up policies in opposition to massive tax hikes or in support of Article 9. He said, “The DPJ cannot stop the defective car’s rampage nor can it change the policies.”

JCP

   “JCP advances will change policies without fail. ‘Whether the JCP can make advance’ is what this House of Councilors election is all about, not ‘the choice between LDP and DPJ.’ Please give victory to the JCP.”

*JCP’s urgent proposal “One Trillion-Yen Emergency Welfare Plan”

(1) The National Health Insurance tax should be reduced by 10,000 yen per person and local governments should stop invalidating the National Health Insurance cards of those who are in arrears in payment of the health insurance tax.

(2) The nursing care insurance tax as well as the user fees for services should be lowered or exempted for needy people, and the quality of nursing care for needy people as well as the quality of nursing care services to guarantee humane living conditions should be preserved.

(3) A national standard should be established for free medical services for preschool children.

(4) Protect the living conditions and rights of handicapped people through revocation of the present principle requiring handicapped people to pay for services according to their ability to pay under the law for the promotion of their self-support.

(5) Stop cutbacks in public assistance to households that are below the poverty line and in the allowance for single parent families.

- Akahata, July 13, 2007