February 13, 2015
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on February 12 at a plenary session of both chambers of the Diet delivered a major policy speech, showing his intent to push forward with constitutional revision and big business-oriented policies, calling them the “most drastic reforms since the end of WWII”.
PM Abe proposed entering Diet discussions on developing security-related legislation based on the Cabinet decision allowing Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right and deepening public discussions on constitutional revision.
The PM promised decisive “reform” in various fields. As for reforms in the agriculture field, for example, he expressed his intent to weaken the authority of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), Japan’s largest agricultural lobby, and swiftly reach a conclusion in the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact. Regarding labor reforms, he called for relaxation of labor laws, which could kill temporary workers’ chance to get full-time positions and expand overtime work without pay.
Arguing that his economic policy, known as “Abenomics”, is “steadily generating results”, the prime minister insisted that he will continue his pro-business economic policy which includes tax breaks for large corporations and will push forward with the planned consumption tax hike from the current 8% to 10% in 2017 as well as the planned cuts in social welfare services.
Abe also displayed his eagerness to publish his statement commemorating the 70th anniversary of the war’s end, promote the construction of a new U.S. base in Okinawa, and restart operations at nuclear power plants.
Later on the same day at a press conference, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo commented on the PM’s policy speech, saying, “Prime Minister Abe declared that he will sweep away all rules defending people’s livelihoods and destroy Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, referring to them as the ‘most drastic reforms since the end of WWII’. The JCP will confront the PM head on and engage in Diet deliberations presenting people-oriented policies.”
PM Abe proposed entering Diet discussions on developing security-related legislation based on the Cabinet decision allowing Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right and deepening public discussions on constitutional revision.
The PM promised decisive “reform” in various fields. As for reforms in the agriculture field, for example, he expressed his intent to weaken the authority of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), Japan’s largest agricultural lobby, and swiftly reach a conclusion in the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact. Regarding labor reforms, he called for relaxation of labor laws, which could kill temporary workers’ chance to get full-time positions and expand overtime work without pay.
Arguing that his economic policy, known as “Abenomics”, is “steadily generating results”, the prime minister insisted that he will continue his pro-business economic policy which includes tax breaks for large corporations and will push forward with the planned consumption tax hike from the current 8% to 10% in 2017 as well as the planned cuts in social welfare services.
Abe also displayed his eagerness to publish his statement commemorating the 70th anniversary of the war’s end, promote the construction of a new U.S. base in Okinawa, and restart operations at nuclear power plants.
Later on the same day at a press conference, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo commented on the PM’s policy speech, saying, “Prime Minister Abe declared that he will sweep away all rules defending people’s livelihoods and destroy Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, referring to them as the ‘most drastic reforms since the end of WWII’. The JCP will confront the PM head on and engage in Diet deliberations presenting people-oriented policies.”
