June 25, 2016
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on June 24 decided to cancel “inspection trips” by 27 assemblypersons to the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.
Assemblymembers on the list of tour participants included 16 from the Liberal Democratic Party, five from the Komei Party, and six from Democratic Party-affiliated groups. The Assembly budgeted 62 million yen for sending its delegation in four separate groups to Rio de Janeiro. Due to increasing hotel prices there, the total cost for the four trips would have increased. Most Tokyoites have been criticizing such overseas trips as extravagant.
The Japanese Communist Party questioned, in addition to soaring local accommodation fees, what was to be inspected just by attending the opening and closing ceremonies. Together with the Tokyo local party Seikatsusha Net, the JCP declined to take part in either trip.
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Secretary General of the 17-member JCP Tokyo Assemblymembers’ Group, Oyama Tomoko, on June 24 issued a comment on the cancellation of the four so-called inspection trips. Following are the main points of her comments:
It is a matter of course for the Assembly to cancel the costly plan in response to the public outcry calling for an end to the wasteful use of taxpayer money. An expected rise in the total costs due to consumer price inflation in Brazil has caused the cancellation, the Assembly explained. However, it has been plain from the very beginning that the trip was unjustified.
The JCP has, since the beginning, been demanding that a delegation consist of only the speaker of the Assembly and a handful of representatives if it uses Tokyoites’ tax money.
The JCP has long been calling for the rectification of luxurious overseas trips by metropolitan assemblypersons as well as by Tokyo Governors.
The Assembly should review and carefully evaluate the need for overseas trips and overseas inspection tours.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo JCP declines to go on assemblypersons’ trip to Rio Olympics [April 15, 2016]
Assemblymembers on the list of tour participants included 16 from the Liberal Democratic Party, five from the Komei Party, and six from Democratic Party-affiliated groups. The Assembly budgeted 62 million yen for sending its delegation in four separate groups to Rio de Janeiro. Due to increasing hotel prices there, the total cost for the four trips would have increased. Most Tokyoites have been criticizing such overseas trips as extravagant.
The Japanese Communist Party questioned, in addition to soaring local accommodation fees, what was to be inspected just by attending the opening and closing ceremonies. Together with the Tokyo local party Seikatsusha Net, the JCP declined to take part in either trip.
* * *
Secretary General of the 17-member JCP Tokyo Assemblymembers’ Group, Oyama Tomoko, on June 24 issued a comment on the cancellation of the four so-called inspection trips. Following are the main points of her comments:
It is a matter of course for the Assembly to cancel the costly plan in response to the public outcry calling for an end to the wasteful use of taxpayer money. An expected rise in the total costs due to consumer price inflation in Brazil has caused the cancellation, the Assembly explained. However, it has been plain from the very beginning that the trip was unjustified.
The JCP has, since the beginning, been demanding that a delegation consist of only the speaker of the Assembly and a handful of representatives if it uses Tokyoites’ tax money.
The JCP has long been calling for the rectification of luxurious overseas trips by metropolitan assemblypersons as well as by Tokyo Governors.
The Assembly should review and carefully evaluate the need for overseas trips and overseas inspection tours.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo JCP declines to go on assemblypersons’ trip to Rio Olympics [April 15, 2016]
