Question is whether the new Cabinet can speak up against US and business world

Japan Press Weekly

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

Question is whether the new Cabinet can speak up against US and business world

Prime Minister Kan Naoto on June 8 inaugurated his Cabinet consisting of the Democratic Party of Japan and the People’s New Party. The main players in the latest Japan-U.S. agreement on the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base, including Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya, Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi, and Minister in Charge of Okinawa Maehera Seiji, all retained their posts from the previous administration.

The new lineup shows that the Kan Cabinet is planning to push ahead with the implementation of the agreement.

Asked by reporters for a comment on the inauguration of the new Cabinet, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi stated, “Whoever may make up the Cabinet, the question is whether or not it can boldly speak up against the United States and large corporations in the interests of the general public. If not, it can neither improve the national economy nor people’s living conditions.”

Ichida criticized the new Cabinet for already thinking of having discussions on an increase in the consumption tax and more tax breaks for large companies.

The other day, new Secretary General of the DPJ Edano Yukio said that Ozawa Ichiro accepted his political responsibility for the fall in support for the DPJ to a certain extent by stepping down from his post as secretary general. However, it is the DPJ itself that has been refusing to summon Ozawa as a sworn witness before the Diet.

Pointing out the lack of internal critique within the DPJ, Ichida stated, “Without digging out the whole truth regarding allegations of corruption in the Diet, Kan cannot claim to represent ‘clean politics’ free from money scandals.”

Ichida further pointed out that Kan formed a cabinet that will firmly maintain the recent Japan-U.S. agreement that will impose on Okinawans another military base. He said, “It is essential to take up these issues in Diet plenary sessions and budget committee meetings of both Houses and clarify all the issues so that voters can more accurately vote as informed citizens in the upcoming Upper House election.”

- Akahata, June 9, 2010