April 23, 2011
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on April 22 at a press conference in the Diet stated that disaster reconstruction should proceed based on the principle that the “disaster sufferers and communities must be the key players.”
Shii expressed his concern regarding the attempt to raise taxes being made by the government’s Reconstruction Design Council which proposes a reconstruction tax in the form of an added consumption tax. The government itself also considers increasing the consumption tax by 3% to 8%.
Regarding the attempt for a consumption tax hike under the guise of reconstruction, Shii stated, “Authorities have neglected obtaining any public input into the whole business of recovery. They just want to make the public pay and increase taxes in advance.”
Pointing out that the consumption tax will be imposed on the sufferers as well, Shii criticized any increase in the tax as “a hindrance to recovery” on the grounds that a tax hike “will discourage consumer spending and hurt the household economy which will lead to further undermining the Japanese economy.”
Shii argued that the reconstruction plan should take into account each community’s and each municipality’s situation and should not be a model that imposes a blanket remedy from above.
Shii called on the government to allow the disaster victims and municipalities to draft their own recovery proposals. In respecting their initiatives, the government should provide financial assistance, said Shii.
Shii requested that the government sincerely listen to the opinions of the disaster sufferers and municipalities and support them in drawing up their own municipal strategies for reconstruction after democratically obtaining residents’ consensus.
Likewise in the fields of the disaster-hit agriculture and fisheries industries, Shii stated that the government should fulfill its role in aggressively providing financial assistance to their voluntary undertakings from the standpoint that “the disaster-hit farmers and fishermen are key players” in recovery efforts.
Shii emphasized, “TEPCO and its shareholders bear a primary responsibility for compensating evacuees, farmers, fishermen, and small business owners for damages caused by the nuclear accident. It is only natural that they pay for all damages.”
Referring to a request for a provisional payment made by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren) and the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), Shii said, “It is important for TEPCO to provisionally pay compensation not only to residents living near the Fukushima plant but also to the farmers, fishermen, and small business owners. Without the provisional payment, they cannot restart their operations and businesses.”
Shii stated, “The JCP will do its best to have the provisional payment made immediately.”
Shii expressed his concern regarding the attempt to raise taxes being made by the government’s Reconstruction Design Council which proposes a reconstruction tax in the form of an added consumption tax. The government itself also considers increasing the consumption tax by 3% to 8%.
Regarding the attempt for a consumption tax hike under the guise of reconstruction, Shii stated, “Authorities have neglected obtaining any public input into the whole business of recovery. They just want to make the public pay and increase taxes in advance.”
Pointing out that the consumption tax will be imposed on the sufferers as well, Shii criticized any increase in the tax as “a hindrance to recovery” on the grounds that a tax hike “will discourage consumer spending and hurt the household economy which will lead to further undermining the Japanese economy.”
Shii argued that the reconstruction plan should take into account each community’s and each municipality’s situation and should not be a model that imposes a blanket remedy from above.
Shii called on the government to allow the disaster victims and municipalities to draft their own recovery proposals. In respecting their initiatives, the government should provide financial assistance, said Shii.
Shii requested that the government sincerely listen to the opinions of the disaster sufferers and municipalities and support them in drawing up their own municipal strategies for reconstruction after democratically obtaining residents’ consensus.
Likewise in the fields of the disaster-hit agriculture and fisheries industries, Shii stated that the government should fulfill its role in aggressively providing financial assistance to their voluntary undertakings from the standpoint that “the disaster-hit farmers and fishermen are key players” in recovery efforts.
Shii emphasized, “TEPCO and its shareholders bear a primary responsibility for compensating evacuees, farmers, fishermen, and small business owners for damages caused by the nuclear accident. It is only natural that they pay for all damages.”
Referring to a request for a provisional payment made by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren) and the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), Shii said, “It is important for TEPCO to provisionally pay compensation not only to residents living near the Fukushima plant but also to the farmers, fishermen, and small business owners. Without the provisional payment, they cannot restart their operations and businesses.”
Shii stated, “The JCP will do its best to have the provisional payment made immediately.”
