Japan Press Weekly

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2011 July 6 - 12 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]

‘Special reconstruction zone’ intends to lure big business

The disaster relief basic law stipulates setting up special reconstruction zones in the disaster-hit areas. The Democratic, Liberal Democratic and Komei parties intend to lure foreign capital and Japanese corporations into the special zones with deregulation and tax privileges as a package related to reconstruction efforts.

However, it is irresponsible to give higher priority to attracting foreign investments over reconstructing the disaster-hit local industries and small-and-midsized businesses, as foreign capital, not accountable to the local economy, will promptly withdraw if the business venture turns out to be unprofitable.

LDP House of Representatives member Takemoto Naokazu in a House finance committee meeting on May 13 proposed offering foreign capital the opportunity to earn profits.

Komei Party Lower House member Sato Shigeki in an economy and industry committee meeting on May 27 also proposed that the government invite small- and mid-sized venture businesses from throughout the world to the disaster-stricken region.

Finance Minister Noda Yoshihiko supported their proposals by stating that the need is to create a mechanism for Japan to attract foreign investments.

The Your Party called for applying a “Doshu” (a broader administrative system than the present prefectural system) system to the entire disaster-hit area, before applying it nationwide. Its Lower House member Kakizawa Mito in a House Welfare and Labor Committee meeting on April 22 called for lifting the present legal ban on dispatching workers to construction and security services. The proposal uses the need for reconstruction as a pretext to deprive workers of legal protection for their safety.

Japanese Communist Party Lower House member Takahashi Chizuko in the House plenary session on July 10 criticized the special zone plan as a move for further deregulation and freer trade, in total disregard of the interests of disaster victims.