February 17, 2023

More than 2.8 million signatures calling for improving the government subsidy program for private schools were handed over to lawmakers of the Japanese Communist Party and other political parties on February 16 at a rally hosted by a civil group consisting of private school teachers and parents.

In the rally held in the House of Councilors members’ office building, civil group co-head Yamaguchi Naoyuki, the chair of the National Federation of Private School Teachers and Staff Unions (Shikyoren), pointed out that as the government’s school fee support program is insufficient, private high school students of families receiving welfare benefits are charged a tuition fee of 50,000 yen. He also pointed out that as a result of cost-cutting measures taken by private schools, 40% of regular teachers were replaced with lower paid non-regular ones.

He called on Dietmembers to work to improve the government support for private schools in order to reduce households’ burden of paying high tuition fees and provide better working conditions to teachers.

JCP member of the House of Representatives Miyamoto Takeshi and JCP members of the House of Councilors Kira Yoshiko and Ito Gaku delivered speeches in solidarity.

Kira said, “The government should reconsider and cancel the 43 trillion yen for the proposed huge military buildup over the next five years and instead increase its subsidies for private schools.”

Dietmembers who gave speeches included those of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, the “Reiwa Shinsengumi” party, and the Social Democratic Party.