Japan Press Weekly

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2024 September 25 - October 1 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP lawmakers promise to work hard to increase Japan’s budget for promotion of arts and culture

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira and JCP Vice Chair Yamashita Yoshiki (House of Councilors) on September 24 attended a social gathering hosted by an artists’ council consisting of orchestras, theater companies, and other arts and culture groups.

JCP Kira Yoshiko (House of Councilors) and Miyamoto Takeshi (House of Representatives) were also present at the gathering of about 100 guests, including politicians and representatives of 43 organizations.

Yamashita, a vice chair of the bipartisan parliamentary league for the promotion of culture and the arts, addressed the participants. Noting that orchestra people have been united in their efforts to obtain an increase in the budget, he said, “We politicians should also join forces to increase the culture and arts budget.”

Koike said, “Japan’s culture and arts budget accounts for only 0.09% of the national budget. Such a country cannot be called a nation promoting and protecting its culture and arts sector. Our party will make every effort across party affiliation to secure a sufficient culture and arts budget.”

Kira said, “I will work hard in the Diet to drastically increase the budget so that more people can experience the richness of Japanese culture and the arts.” Miyamoto said, “I will also work in the political arena to make Japan a country where everyone can enjoy culture and the arts.”