June 20, 2009
The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on June 19 used their two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives Plenary Session to get three controversial bills passed by overturning the House of Councilors rejection.
The three bills include one to send the Self-Defense Forces on an ‘anti-piracy’ mission in waters off Somalia, the bill to revise the pension law, and the special taxation measures bill which is one of the supplementary budget-related bills.
Earlier in the day at the House of Councilors Plenary Session, opposition parties including the Japanese Communist Party voted down the three bills.
It was unprecedented and outrageous that the ruling block railroaded three different key bills through the House of Representatives, even though the ruling parties used their two-thirds majority for a revote at the House of Representatives for six times after opposition parties won the majority of seats as the result of the 2007 House of Councilors election.
Later in the day, Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji said to reporters, “It is atrocious of the two ruling parties to ram through important bills by using their two-thirds majority force to overturn the House of Councilors decision.”
Kokuta pointed out that the real aim of the ‘anti-piracy’ bill is to send the Self-Defense Forces abroad and allow for the use of force, and that the supplementary budget-related bill will serve to benefit big corporations.
Regarding the bill to revise the pension law, Kokuta said that although it is natural that the government must increase funding for the basic pension system, the bill practically paves the way for another consumption tax hike under the pretext of funding the pension system. - Akahata, June 20, 2009
Earlier in the day at the House of Councilors Plenary Session, opposition parties including the Japanese Communist Party voted down the three bills.
It was unprecedented and outrageous that the ruling block railroaded three different key bills through the House of Representatives, even though the ruling parties used their two-thirds majority for a revote at the House of Representatives for six times after opposition parties won the majority of seats as the result of the 2007 House of Councilors election.
Later in the day, Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji said to reporters, “It is atrocious of the two ruling parties to ram through important bills by using their two-thirds majority force to overturn the House of Councilors decision.”
Kokuta pointed out that the real aim of the ‘anti-piracy’ bill is to send the Self-Defense Forces abroad and allow for the use of force, and that the supplementary budget-related bill will serve to benefit big corporations.
Regarding the bill to revise the pension law, Kokuta said that although it is natural that the government must increase funding for the basic pension system, the bill practically paves the way for another consumption tax hike under the pretext of funding the pension system. - Akahata, June 20, 2009
