Japan Press Weekly

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2011 June 15 - 21 TOP3 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]

Reconstruction law may help promote deregulation

A basic law for post-disaster reconstruction, paving the way for further deregulation under the guise of revitalization of the Tohoku region, was enacted at an Upper House plenary session on June 20, with a majority vote of the Democratic, Liberal Democratic, Komei, People’s New, and Social Democratic parties.

At a special committee meeting on quake reconstruction held prior to the House of Councilors plenary meeting, Yamashita Yoshiki, representing the Japanese Communist Party, expressed opposition to the enactment of the law by saying, “Disaster victims should be the key players in the reconstruction process. Restoring their living conditions must be the first task in reconstruction.”

Corporate activities

Yamashita pointed out that the law deeply reflects a “new growth strategy” for major corporations endorsed by the government. He expressed his concern that it will promote large-scale farming and fishing as well as the deregulation of corporate activities in the disaster-stricken areas.

He also warned that the law will pave the way for a consumption tax hike under the pretense of funding reconstruction efforts.

At the special committee meeting on June 16, Komine Takao, professor at the Graduate School of Hosei University, proposed that “corporate skills, energy, and funds” be injected into the agricultural and fishery industries in Tohoku. “Corporate employees’ work ethos can be applied” to those sectors, he insisted.

State’s reconstruction policy comes first

The law stipulates that the national government establishes a “basic policy” for reconstruction and that local governments are “responsible for taking measures” in accordance with it.

Yamashita pointed out that the law requires local governments to wait for the introduction of the national policy conducting full-scale reconstruction work and must prioritize the national policy over the actual needs at the local level.