Japan Press Weekly

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2023 September 27 - October 3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Kira exchanges views on climate issues with young people

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kira Yoshiko, along with other ruling and opposition party Dietmembers, on October 1 took part in an online meeting discussing climate change, the Japan Youth Climate Conference 2023, which was hosted by the Japan Youth Conference. She exchanged views on energy policies, biodiversity conservation, and other environmental issues.

In discussions regarding the conservation of biodiversity, Kira got asked a question about barriers to progress on this matter. As an example, she cited the controversial project to construct a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko district in Okinawa and the government’s stance to put construction projects before efforts to protect biodiversity. In this regard, Kira said that the problem is that at present, the environmental assessment process is used as a tool to facilitate building projects and fails to function properly. She stressed the need to change the current process to a more effective one which conducts assessment activities, including in-depth dialogue with local residents.

When asked about the significance of policy proposals by youth organizations regarding environmental issues, Kira said, “To receive proposals from youth organizations is very encouraging. This increases the possibility that young people’s views are heard in the Diet.”

Kira talked about her visit to Germany and Iceland at the beginning of September as a member of a cross-party Dietmembers’ study group on energy policies.