Japan Press Weekly

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2011 January 26 - February 1 [POLITICS]

No difference between DPJ and LDP: JCP Kokuta

Asked for a comment on the Liberal Democratic Party president’s interpellation at the Diet, Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji on January 26 told the press that he found no difference between the Democratic Party of Japan and the LDP.

Kokuta said, “Prime Minister Kan Naoto was asking the LDP for help in regard to negotiations on an increase in the consumption tax rate and responded to the LDP interpellator who was demanding a further arms buildup by saying, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ Listening to them, I found that there is no difference between them.”

Kokuta criticized both parties for “cooperating in further cutting corporate taxes and forcing the general public to pay the price by raising the consumption tax rate.”

Regarding a summoning of ex-DPJ head Ozawa Ichiro, Kokuta stated, “The only way to reveal the truth behind the allegations against Ozawa is to summon him to the Diet as a sworn witness. The DPJ in the Lower House political ethics council has given up on summoning Ozawa to the council and he himself has also refused to present himself there. Prime Minister Kan should immediately order his appearance to the Diet to give sworn testimony.”

Kokuta added, “Ozawa’s money scandals include an issue connected with the use of tax money over public works projects. The JCP will doggedly pursue this issue.”