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2024 October 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

PM Ishiba’s policy speech empty of substance

Akahata editorial

“I will achieve politics for the people, not politics for politicians. I will speak the truth with courage and sincerity and will practice a politics that can gain understanding and empathy from the people.” These remarks were what Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru made in his policy speech to the Diet on October 4.

Ishiba protects LDP politicians involved in slush funds

PM Ishiba began his speech by referring to slush-fund allegations involving LDP factions associated with revenues from political fundraiser ticket sales.

He stated he will “restore public trust in politics which has been lost due to the scandal related to political slush funds.” As a confidence rebuilding measure, he said he will “meet with each and every legislator who is alleged to have been involved in the scandal, will ask them to reflect on their actions, and will do his utmost to establish a sense of ethics to abide by rules.”

The illicit-money scandal was a crime which LDP factions had systematically committed as a method to make illegal off-the-book money. It is not a matter of ethics for individual lawmakers. A thorough investigation to uncover the whole truth behind the scandal is essential to prevent a recurrence of similar corruption cases, but Ishiba is a person who has consistently turned his back on a reinvestigation into the allegations and has evaded “telling the truth” regarding the dubious ties between the LDP and the former Unification Church antisocial religious cult.

Reportedly, he decided to give an official LDP ticket to those who were punished by the party for their backdoor funds involvement. Furthermore, he will plan to allow LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies to run on the dual candidacy formula for a proportional representation seat in the general election, according to reports. This is nothing more than “politics for the politicians tainted by kickback money”.

Ishiba said that he will work to “further strengthen” the Japan-U.S. military alliance as the “linchpin” of Japan’s diplomacy and security. He also said that he will focus on a major arms buildup, which would essentially undermine Japan’s postwar pacifist Constitution and threaten peace in Asia.

Regarding the Okinawa base issue, Ishiba on one hand said that he will “work to reduce the burden” of U.S. bases on Okinawans and that “it is essential” for the government to “win the understanding and cooperation of the people, including local residents”, but on the other hand insisted that he will “proceed with the construction” of a new U.S. base in Henoko in Nago City as a replacement for the U.S. Futenma base in Ginowan City. He, in effect, declared that his government will push ahead with the construction of the new base which is opposed by the Okinawa government and the majority of Okinawans.

Meanwhile, regarding a possible revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which grants extraterritorial privileges to the U.S. military, he did not say anything although he himself had promised to push for SOFA revision during his LDP presidential campaign.

He also did not mention the push for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, a long-cherished desire of A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha) and a large majority of the international community. He did not even mention Israel’s attacks on Gaza which Israel waged in violation of international law while many people in Japan and around the world are deeply worried about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. It is far from “politics that can win popular understanding and empathy” as he proclaimed in his policy speech.

Ishiba inherits worn-out LDP politics

Ishiba on October 1 accepted only two women out of 20 ministers into his Cabinet, drawing a lot of criticism. However, in his policy speech he said he will “promote women’s opportunities” and stressed that he will encourage “more women to participate in decision-making processes in all organizations in society as a goal for the public and private sectors.” What an empty statement to make!

Ishiba made clear his stance of carrying on with the economic and energy policies of the previous Cabinet. This will be nothing less than the continuance of ineffective measures in regard to the sluggish economy and increase in people’s hardships, of the cutbacks in social welfare such as medical care, nursing-care, and pension programs, and of a return to nuclear power generation.

He expressed to the Diet and to the public that he will work to propose a motion for constitutional amendments during his term as prime minister.

The Japanese Communist Party is determined to fight through the coming general election, calling for major reforms to eliminate the distortions in LDP politics which gives priority to the interests of the business community and large corporations; is aberrantly submissive to the United States, and regards the Japan-U.S. military alliance as an absolute necessity.