Hatoyama in his policy speech fails to specify how to address key issues: JCP Shii

Japan Press Weekly

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Hatoyama in his policy speech fails to specify how to address key issues: JCP Shii

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on October 26 commented on Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio’s policy speech as follows:

“Prime Minister Hatoyama repeatedly used the term ‘change’ in politics and history but stopped short of giving concrete ideas regarding key issues that need to be addressed in response to the needs of the public.

Hatoyama preached about the virtue of work. We know that the opportunity for decent work is being destroyed by the rampant use of a disposable workforce such as temporary workers. Nevertheless, he failed to even touch on any measures to drastically revise the controversial Worker Dispatch Law in his lengthy speech.

As for the medical insurance system for the elderly aged 75 and over which many people are calling for the abolition of, he just indicated the government’s intention to defer the abolition of the system until a new system is introduced. The JCP will work hard for the immediate abolition of the present discriminatory system.

He also referred to an ‘equal Japan-US alliance’, but the main symbol of inequality in the present Japan-U.S. relationship is the continuation of the overbearing presence of U.S. military bases in Japan. How will the government deal with the issue of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa? Okinawans are emphasizing that they no longer want any base to be constructed on their land as a replacement for the Futenma base. The prime minister, however, avoided giving a clear answer regarding this issue.

The government must address all these pressing issues but is unable to do so because it is incapable of presenting reasonable solutions. The JCP will force the discussion of these issues at Diet interpellations and committees and will propose concrete solutions to the problems.”

- Akahata, October 27, 2009