Shii speaks on issues that need intensive discussions in Diet

Japan Press Weekly

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

Shii speaks on issues that need intensive discussions in Diet

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo emphasized the urgent need for the Diet to discuss two issues that have direct bearings on people's livelihoods under the present circumstances: jobs and measures to boost the economy.

In explaining how the JCP is going to take up these issues in the current session of the Diet, he said, "The task now is for the Diet to fulfill its responsibilities to defend people's livelihoods."

The following is the summary of his remarks at the news conference on February 19 in the Diet:

- The JCP strongly protests that the government and ruling parties are poised to railroad the fiscal 2009 budget through the House of Representative as early as February 23. We do not believe that the Diet has thoroughly discussed the budget bill. Given the Diet's responsibility to defend people's livelihoods, the JCP proposes holding intensive deliberations at least on the following two issues.

One is the issue of jobs. It is feared that more temporary workers and fixed-term contract workers will be laid off toward the end of the current fiscal year (March 31^st). The collapse of the job market is so powerful that even full-time workers may be laid off. This has become a very serious factor in the further downturn of the economy.

In the House of Representatives Budget Committee on February 4, I proposed that the budget committee hold intensive deliberations on this issue. It is absolutely necessary to force large corporations to fulfill their social responsibility to maintain jobs.

The JCP also demands that the Diet summon the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) chairman, and representatives of the auto and electronics industries as well as employers of major corporations to answer questions.

Other opposition parties are supportive of this proposal. The ruling party has promised to consider the proposal. The House of Representatives Budget Committee chairman said, "I will take the proposal into account and consider having it discussed in the current session of the Diet, as jobs and the economy are the major issues facing the Diet today."

The other issue is about what should be done to stimulate the economy. According to recent data, Japan's real economy shrank at an annual rate of 12.7 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. This shows that Japan fell far behind the United States which experienced a fall of 3.8 percent and the EU which saw a fall of 5.7 percent.

This economic downturn is a consequence of the Japanese government policy that excessively depends on exports while discouraging people from spending money and its neglect to increase domestic demand. The task now is for Japan to find ways to boost domestic demand.

On February 16, the JCP published a proposal for redrafting the government budget bill. We are calling for policy changes aimed at expanding domestic demand in such areas as employment, social welfare programs, agriculture, and taxation.

The present issue is whether the budget proposed by the government is capable of radically expanding domestic demand. If the answer is "No," the government budget plan should be redrafted, revised, or reconsidered. This will require intensive deliberation.

- Akahata, February 20, 2009