JCP Shii calls for aggressive Diet discussion to fundamentally critique LDP policies

   The ordinary session of the Diet convened on January 18. The Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo set out the JCP strategy on upcoming Diet deliberations in its Dietmembers’ Group assembly held on the day.

   Shii pointed out that although the Liberal Democratic Party policy framework prioritizing the interests of the United States and Japanese business circles has without doubt reached a deadlock, the Fukuda government remains unable to formulate policies to overcome the deadlock even in a reactionary way as the former Koizumi and Abe governments did.

   Shii stressed the need to aggressively lead discussions calling for breaking away from the LDP policies starting with the earnest demands of the public.

   To illustrate the deadlock in LDP policies, Shii cited the recent development in which a top staffing agency has been ordered to suspend its business operations due to its illegal labor practices.

   He also took up the issue of the social welfare budget on which the government has been imposing severe restraints and pointed out that the growing resentment of the public against the LDP policy has forced the government to freeze some of its plans to shift more burdens onto the public.

   “Now is the time that we should push for drastic changes in the government policies such as a drastic revision of the Worker Dispatch Law and an end to the policy of restraining the social welfare budget,” Shii said.

   Concerning the tax revenue earmarked for road construction which is expected to become a major contentious issue in this Diet session, Shii said, “The point at issue is whether to maintain the system to construct unnecessary roads or to put an end to such a system.”

   Shii proposed abolishing the earmarked fund system and cancel a government plan to use a total of 59 trillion yen in 10 years for road construction and creating an environment tax system to deal with CO2 emissions.

   Pointing out that the economic policy serving the interests of large corporations has already ended in failure, Shii called for a policy aimed at improving the household economy.

   Shii also drew attention to the fact that the LDP and the Democratic Party are jointly attempting to promote adverse and reactionary policies in order to overcome the impasse of the LDP policy.

   Stressing that these two major parties share the same policy concerning two important issues, namely a permanent law to send the Self-Defense Forces abroad and consumption tax hikes, Shii stated that the JCP should take the lead in the Diet discussions to block such dangerous moves.

   Shii also called on JCP Dietmembers to tackle such important issues as protecting the global environment, regulating speculative money, and revitalizing Japan’s agriculture. “Let us be determined to strive in this session of the Diet to open up a way for a JCP victory in the upcoming general election,” Shii said.
- Akahata, January 19, 2008