November 20, 2009

Explaining that unemployment benefit payments to about one million unemployed people will be ended by the end of this year, Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Koike Akira at the House of Councilors Health, Labor, and Welfare Committee meeting on November 19 urged the government to decide to extend the term of unemployment benefits.

The government estimates that up to 390,000 people who quit their jobs involuntarily will lose their right to receive unemployment benefits at the end of December, and, for those who left their jobs voluntarily, the number will increase to 540,000.

The Employment Insurance Act states that if the unemployment situation falls under the level defined by the government ordinance, a labor minister can order expansion of the payment of unemployment benefits. Under the current definition, all qualified people can receive unemployment benefits for another 90 days maximum.

Koike said, “In the U.S., the bill to extend the period of unemployment benefits for another 140 days was approved on November 5. Japan should also decide to do so.”

Labor Minister Nagatsuma Akira only replied, “Careful consideration is needed due to limited financial resources.” - Akahata, November 20, 2009