January 29, 2011
Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on January 28 urged the government to give more support to small- and middle-sized enterprises as an urgent task amid the economic recession.
At a House of Councilors plenary session, Ichida stressed that what the government must do now is to improve its assistance programs for SMEs, which account for 99 % of all business firms and 70 percent of all employees in Japan.
He called for the establishment of fair trade rules for subcontractors as well as an increase in the minimum hourly wage to 1,000 yen.
Ichida talked about subsidy programs for house renovation that have been implemented by nearly 200 municipalities throughout the country, which have in turn created positive economic effects 10 to 20 times more than the amount of subsidies provided to the program applicants. He demanded that the national government strengthen the public subsidy system.
The JCP representative said that the government’s financial assistance program for SMEs having funding difficulties is working as a safety net for smaller businesses under the sluggish economy so that the government should cancel its plan to terminate it in March.
At a House of Councilors plenary session, Ichida stressed that what the government must do now is to improve its assistance programs for SMEs, which account for 99 % of all business firms and 70 percent of all employees in Japan.
He called for the establishment of fair trade rules for subcontractors as well as an increase in the minimum hourly wage to 1,000 yen.
Ichida talked about subsidy programs for house renovation that have been implemented by nearly 200 municipalities throughout the country, which have in turn created positive economic effects 10 to 20 times more than the amount of subsidies provided to the program applicants. He demanded that the national government strengthen the public subsidy system.
The JCP representative said that the government’s financial assistance program for SMEs having funding difficulties is working as a safety net for smaller businesses under the sluggish economy so that the government should cancel its plan to terminate it in March.
