January 18, 2022

With the 208th ordinary session of the Diet, which runs for 150 days, convened on January 17, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a JCP Dietmembers' assembly called on them to proactively engage in Diet debates by presenting JCP counterproposals to the present government's policies pertaining to foreign affairs and economic measures.

Regarding the fight against the ongoing surge in the omicron COVID-19 variant, Shii said, "The JCP will present an inclusive proposal and will urge the government to put it into practice."

Noting that Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in his policy speech reiterated his commitment to allowing Japan to possess the capability to attack enemy bases, Shii pointed out, "This move will lead Japan to become a country capable and willing to engage in fighting wars abroad as a junior partner to the United States." He stressed the need to oppose this move firmly.

In order to counter that move, Shii told the JCP Dietmembers to present the Diet with a JCP proposal for peace diplomacy based on Article 9 of the Constitution so that true peace and cooperation, by making the best use of the East Asia Summit framework together with ASEAN nations, can be established in East Asia.

Shii cited that PM Kishida in his speech could no longer ignore the "disadvantages of neoliberalism" but Shii expressed his criticism that "a new form of capitalism" Kishida advocates is to maintain neoliberal policies benefitting mainly large corporations and wealthy people. Shii expressed his determination to grill PM Kishida in his interpellation to find out if Kishida really sets out to remove the "disadvantages" of the neoliberal policies.

Shii said that neoliberalism brought about a "cold-hearted society" in Japan and made the Japanese economy "fragile and vulnerable" where workers’ wages do not go up and there is no growth. He added, "In all areas such as employment, social security, taxation, environment, and gender equality, the JCP will put forth its counterproposals to make a shift from the neoliberal policies and build a ‘strong and people-friendly economy’."