Japan Press Weekly

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2021 November 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

JCP policy commission chair criticizes PM Kishida for using COVID-19 economic package for military buildup

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on November 19 decided on a 55.7-trillion-yen economic package which includes an arms budget and a budget to deal with the prolonged pandemic situation. The package will be included in drafts for the 2021 supplementary budget and the 2022 budget.

Major pillars in the package are measures to combat the pandemic and boost socio-economic recovery. Along with these measures, the package also focuses on a major military buildup together with the realization of PM Kishida’s “new capitalism” ploy.

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Tamura Tomoko at a press conference held in the Diet building on the day pointed out that financial support for individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic under the package is insufficient.

Tamura noted that PM Kishida during the general election campaign promised to provide cash benefits to “all” struggling individuals to survive under the pandemic. She pointed out that the economic package is designed to provide cash handouts only to struggling households with an annual income of less than one million yen. She added that many people disapprove of the planned support for childrearing families as it will be implemented in two stages: a 50,000-yen cash distribution within the year and the distribution of vouchers worth 50,000 yen next spring. Stating that it is unacceptable for PM Kishida to go back on his election promise, Tamura expressed her determination to work hard together with other representatives of other opposition parties in the Diet so that all struggling people can receive cash benefits.

In addition, Tamura stated that under the package, cash grants will be paid for business losses between November 2021 and March 2022. She said that the plan should be reviewed to cover the period from January 2021 to October 2021 as well when many businesses were hit hardest by the pandemic. She also demanded that the government provide sufficient aid to help business owners recover from the COVID-19 impact.

Furthermore, Tamura pointed out that the approved package plan includes 770 billion yen for a military buildup which has nothing to do with the fight against COVID-19. Noting that this military spending will be included in a supplementary budget draft, Tamura pointed out that the Kishida government maintains the Abe government’s policy of using a supplementary budget to purchase missiles, torpedoes, and other military equipment. She expressed her determination to increase the JCP efforts in the Diet and in public movements and foil the Kishida government’s move to promote a huge military buildup and again turn Japan into a war-fighting nation.