JCP Chair Shii holds talks with Prime Minister Aso

Japan Press Weekly

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

JCP Chair Shii holds talks with Prime Minister Aso

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on December 5 held talks with Prime Minister Aso Taro to discuss immediate economic issues and policies needed to help secure jobs and protect smaller businesses.

The meeting was based on the JCP request submitted to the prime minister two days earlier regarding emergency measures that the government should take toward year end.

In the talks, Shii first raised the urgent issue of temporary and fixed-term contract workers being laid off on short notice before the expiry of their contract term. “The government should exercise its power to have the large corporations and business federations end these corporate practices immediately,” Shii said.

Aso, referring to a request he made to Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) leaders for jobs to be secured, said that there are companies that are giving contingent workers full-time positions. “That is the way companies should act,” he said.

Shii then pointed out that Canon Corporation, which is headed by Nippon Keidanren Chairman Mitarai Fujio, announced a plan to lay off temporary and independent contractors several days after hearing the prime minister’s request.

“‘Requesting’ corporations for job security is not enough. What the large corporations are doing at present goes against the regulations on employment. They are not complying with the “4 requirements for dismissing workers,” which were sanctioned by the Supreme Court. The government must exercise strict guidance and oversight over corporations.”

As said, “I take this view as your advice.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura Takeo, who was present at the talks, said, “We share the recognition that the present situation is very serious.”

Responding to reporters’ questions after the talks, Shii said, “It was good that talks were held at our request. I think that the prime minister was compelled to hold talks with me because no one can deny the fact that layoffs of temporary and fixed-term contract workers are causing very deep social concerns.”

-Akahata, December 6, 2008