Japan Press Weekly

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2023 May 17 - 23 [POLITICS]

Over 133K signatures opposing tax hikes and major arms buildup submitted to Diet

Calling for opposition to the government move to increase taxes and build up Japan's military strength, 133,406 signatures were submitted to the Diet on May 17.

The submitters held a rally in the House of Representatives members' office building on the same day.

At the rally, Odagawa Yoshikazu, who works to defend the Constitution, criticized the ruling parties and their supplementary parties for promoting "bad laws" which undermine Japan's democracy and trample upon migrants' fundamental human rights.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira spoke in solidarity at the rally. Touching on a bill which is currently under Diet discussion aimed at securing financial resources for the planned arms buildup, Koike pointed out that the bill, if enacted, will raise taxes and reduce the budget needed for people's livelihoods such as for education, agriculture, and social welfare. He said, "I will strive to rebuild a cooperative structure among opposition parties in order to block the proposed laws."

Morikawa Ibuki who works for a hospital workers' union said, "The government intends to require public hospitals to return a portion of their reserve funds to the national coffers in order to fund the planned military expansion, posing a threat to public healthcare."

Igarashi Jin, professor emeritus of Hosei University, said, "Never give up and let’s work together to prevent the proposed huge arms buildup and major tax hikes!"