Japan Press Weekly

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2022 December 7 - 13 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Extraordinary session of the Diet closes

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira, asked for his impression after the 69-day extraordinary session of the Diet ended, said that certain results were achieved though the overall result was not yet adequate.

At a press conference held in the Diet building on December 10, Koike said, "Opposition parties jointly held a hearing on the issue of the former Unification Church and pressured the ruling parties to change their initial attitude from "no need to make a new law" to agreeing to at least have the relief law for the victims of the cult passed though it was far from adequate. In addition, we successfully pressed Prime Minister Kishida to dismiss three problematic cabinet members. In that sense, some positive results were achieved."

He at the same time criticized the Kishida government for planning to ready Japan with a strike-force capability, promoting further utilization of nuclear power generation, taking ineffective countermeasures against high prices, and refusing to take direct measures to increase wages.

The media corps asked Koike about the enemy-attack capability which the "Ishin" party and the Democratic Party for the People agree with and which the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is having discussion in the party whether the capability is needed.

Koike said, "The issue of a major arms buildup in addition to the possession of enemy strike-force capability will be the largest topic on the agenda in the next ordinary Diet session. Whether the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan clings to its starting point, which is to protect 'constitutionalism' and the common ground of opposition parties' joint struggle, will be called into question."