Rest of Diet session must focus on two major questions: JCP Shii

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Rest of Diet session must focus on two major questions: JCP Shii

At a press conference on May 15, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo stressed that the abolition of the new medical system for the elderly and the revision of the Worker Dispatch Law should be the two most important issues during the remaining 30 days of the current Diet session. The 150-day Ordinary Session of the Diet is to end on June 15.

Referring to the government attempt to use cheap tricks to allay strong public criticism of the new medical system for the elderly aged 75 and older, Shii said, “Since the new medical system is based on the policy of legitimating discrimination based on age in medical care, it must be abolished.”

With public calls for the discriminatory medical system to be scrapped increasing and with the four opposition parties trying to submit to the House of Councilors a bill to repeal it, Shii stressed, “The task now is for the Diet to strive to find the common ground on the need to abolish the new medical system.”

Concerning the Workers Dispatch Law, the JCP has called for its revision since the beginning of the current Diet session. Recently, several major companies offered their temporary workers full-time positions. At a rally held in the Diet building by labor unions, representatives of not only the four opposition parties but also the ruling Komei Party agreed on the need to ban the use of temporary workers as day laborers.

Pointing out these circumstances, Shii stressed, “We would like to make a step forward toward the revision of the Worker Dispatch Law in the current Diet session.” - Akahata, May 16, 2008