Extraordinary Diet session convened

   A four-day Extraordinary Session of the Diet was convened on August 7 following the House of Councilors election in which the ruling parties suffered a historic setback.

   In a speech to the Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers’ group, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo stressed the need to evaluate the election results from two perspectives, the JCP’s results and on the election overall.

   Citing the ruling parties’ disastrous results, Shii said, “The public has delivered a verdict rejecting the basic policy line of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties pushing the ‘structural reform’ that has brought about increased poverty and growing social gaps as well as pushing for constitutional revision under the name of ‘breaking away from the postwar regime’.”

   Pointing out that the JCP played an important role in achieving this result, Shii called on JCP Dietmembers to make efforts in order to fulfill its campaign promises.

   Shii laid down the following four principles to be applied to JCP Dietmembers’ group activities in the Diet where a significant shift in the balance of power occurred:

   Firstly, the JCP will make efforts to realize policies for the benefit of the public such as the policies the JCP proposed during the election campaign under the name of the “One Trillion Yen Emergency Plan for Welfare Services.”

   Secondly, the JCP will block any LDP-Komei Party attempts to roll back any gains, attaching importance to the struggles to prevent the extension of the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law that enables the government to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean, drive pro-constitutional revision forces into a corner, and oppose an increase in the consumption tax rate.

   Thirdly, the JCP will actively promote joint struggles of opposition parties.

   Fourthly, the JCP will increase cooperation with grassroots movements.

   Shii again demanded that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo resign and expressed his determination to force the Abe Cabinet into dissolution of the House of Representatives for a general election.

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   The House of Councilors plenary session on August 7 unanimously elected Eda Satsuki of the Democratic Party as the president, and Santo Akiko of the LDP as the deputy president.

   This was the first time that the president of the House of Councilors was elected from parties other than the LDP since the LDP foundation in 1955.

- Akahata, August 8, 2007