Japan Press Weekly

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2017 July 19 - 25 [POLITICS]

JCP Koike: LDP’s plan to reduce oppositions’ question time is irrational

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on July 18 at a press conference criticized the Liberal Democratic Party’s proposal to split question time “fifty-fifty” between the ruling parties and opposition parties in intensive deliberations on the “Kake Gakuen” scandal with the attendance of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo during the current recess.

The question time in both chamber’s budget committees is usually allocated to ruling parties and opposition parties in a ratio of 2:8. However, LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chief Takeshita Wataru at the talks with his Democratic Party counterpart Yamai Kazunori said that the LDP refuses to hold the intensive deliberations unless the question time is shared fifty-fifty between the ruling parties and opposition parties.

Koike pointed out, “PM Abe stated, ‘If there are any problems that are pointed out by anyone, I will fulfill my responsibility to respond.’ Since only opposition parties can ask straightforward questions on behalf of the general public, adequate question time should be ensured. If PM Abe has the willingness to clear up public doubt seriously, the LDP should not stoop to the low down tactic of decreasing opposition parties’ question time.”

Koike went on to say, “If the LDP wants to increase the question time of the ruling coalition, it should agree to open an extraordinary Diet session, and sit down to fully discuss the matter. Going halves on the question time with opposition parties is irrational.”

Koike mentioned the testimony given on July 10 by former Administrative Vice Minister of Education Maekawa Kihei in Education Committee meetings at both Houses of the Diet during the Diet recess, and pointed out, “Because Maekawa’s statement conflicted with what the Abe government said, there is a need for the Diet to uncover the whole truth by summoning sworn witnesses.”

Koike insisted that the Diet should invite seven sworn witnesses, including Maekawa and PM Abe’s close aide Izumi Hiroto in order to properly investigate into the “Kake” allegation, and call PM Abe’s wife Abe Akie to give sworn testimony in connection with the “Moritomo Gakuen” scandal.

Past related articles:
> JCP lawmakers question ex-bureaucrat as unsworn witness over ‘Kake Gakuen’ scandal [July 11, 2017]
> Shii: Diet discussions on ‘Moritomo’ and ‘Kake’ scandals without Abe is out of the question [July 6, 2017]
> ‘Kake Gakuen’ related-materials alluding PM pressure existed in ministry [June 17, 2017]