July 3, 2015
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The Abe Cabinet recently approved the Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2015 which include a plan to slash social welfare spending in the range of 300 billion-500 billion yen every year from FY 2016 under the pretext of “restoring fiscal health”. In addition to this plan, the Abe administration seeks to “promote the privatization of public services, including social welfare services”. The Abe government intends to allow large corporations to make profits from the medical and nursing-care sector and childcare services. “Commercialization” or privatization of social welfare totally runs counter to the public demand for the strengthening of the current social safety net.
The basic policies stress that corporations will increase opportunities to access new services in collaboration with operators of facilities and welfare service providers. The government will cut its spending on welfare services by utilizing the “vitality” of the private sector. This clearly reveals the Abe government’s aim to use corporate entry into various social welfare services as a means to cut overall welfare spending by the national and local governments.
The entry of profit-first private businesses into public services conflicts with the fundamental principle of public services. It frequently happens that corporations operating childcare or nursing-care facilities readily close down unprofitable operations without any regard for the users. Corporate participation in public services will make it difficult for people with financial difficulties to obtain the essential services they need. It is unforgivable for the government to push forward with the “privatization” policies which will endanger the public right to social security under Article 25 of the Constitution and adversely affect people’s livelihoods.
The need now is to create a government which guarantees people’s right to a decent life and which carries out its responsibility to improve social welfare services.
The Abe Cabinet recently approved the Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2015 which include a plan to slash social welfare spending in the range of 300 billion-500 billion yen every year from FY 2016 under the pretext of “restoring fiscal health”. In addition to this plan, the Abe administration seeks to “promote the privatization of public services, including social welfare services”. The Abe government intends to allow large corporations to make profits from the medical and nursing-care sector and childcare services. “Commercialization” or privatization of social welfare totally runs counter to the public demand for the strengthening of the current social safety net.
The basic policies stress that corporations will increase opportunities to access new services in collaboration with operators of facilities and welfare service providers. The government will cut its spending on welfare services by utilizing the “vitality” of the private sector. This clearly reveals the Abe government’s aim to use corporate entry into various social welfare services as a means to cut overall welfare spending by the national and local governments.
The entry of profit-first private businesses into public services conflicts with the fundamental principle of public services. It frequently happens that corporations operating childcare or nursing-care facilities readily close down unprofitable operations without any regard for the users. Corporate participation in public services will make it difficult for people with financial difficulties to obtain the essential services they need. It is unforgivable for the government to push forward with the “privatization” policies which will endanger the public right to social security under Article 25 of the Constitution and adversely affect people’s livelihoods.
The need now is to create a government which guarantees people’s right to a decent life and which carries out its responsibility to improve social welfare services.
