Japan Press Weekly

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2008 April 30 - May 13 [FINANCE]

Upper House rejects bill to continue to use gasoline and other road tax revenue

The House of Councilors on May 12 rejected a bill to use road-related tax revenues exclusively to pay for road construction over the next 10 years by a majority vote of the Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party .

Speaking on behalf of the JCP at the House of Councilors committee meeting on May 9, Daimon Mikishi said it is extremely irresponsible for the House of Councilors to spend only six hours for discussion of the bill before it was put to a vote.

He said the bill totally contradicts the promise Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo made to allow the road-related tax revenue to be used for broader purposes from FY 2009 (April 2009).

“At a time when economic inequalities are expanding, the public is being forced to pay more for social services. The law to end the system to use road-related tax revenues exclusively for road construction is in place. It is unacceptable to restore the road-related tax revenue system just to construct roads instead of using tax money directly for improving living conditions,” Daimon said.
- Akahata, May 10, 2008