JCP opposes 2007 supplementary budget putting importance of military buildup over public needs

   The government bill on a supplementary budget for fiscal 2007 passed through the House of the Representatives plenary session on January 29 by majority vote of the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and the opposition People’s New Party.

   The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill on the grounds that it gives priority to military expenditures over the need to improve people’s living conditions. The Democratic and Social Democratic parties also voted against.

   JCP representative Kasai Akira in the Lower House plenary session criticized the government for allocating 17.1 billion yen of tax money to the U.S. military realignment in Japan. He also said it is unacceptable that 22 percent of the money allotted to urgent measures to deal with rising oil prices is set aside for military purposes, including fuel purchases for Self-Defense Forces’ training exercises.

   Referring to measures to reduce the impact of increasing financial burdens that the elderly are asked to shoulder, Kasai said the one-year moratorium against the implementation of the revised medical system just for a limited number of people is inadequate.

   He insisted, “It is necessary to abolish the new discriminatory medical system because it makes the elderly feel uneasy about their longevity.”
- Akahata, January 30, 2008