Japan Press Weekly

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2013 July 31 - August 13 [JCP]

Play active part in Diet to meet public expectations: Shii to all JCP lawmakers

The Japanese Communist Party on August 2 held its Dietmembers’ general meeting and Chair Shii Kazuo encouraged all JCP lawmakers of both Houses to display an active role in the extraordinary Diet session (August 2-7) so that people can feel they made the right choice with having voted for the JCP.

Encircled by media crew who are paying greater attention to the JCP after its advance in the latest Upper House election, the newly-elected JCP lawmakers proclaimed their resolve to enter the Diet fighting.

Shii listed what the Abe government has in mind to force through, such as the planned increase in the consumption tax rate, an array of cuts in social welfare programs, the resumption of currently-suspended nuclear reactors, Japan’s participation into the multilateral TPP free-trade pact, the removal of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, and Japan’s exercise of the right to collective self-defense.

Shii stated, “By no means did the general public give the Abe government a blank check.”

The chair called on all JCP parliamentarians to fulfill the expectations of voters who voted for the JCP out of fear of Abe’s runaway approach by stating, “On every issue, the JCP has counterproposals and that’s why we are capable of waging a head-on confrontation with the Liberal Democratic Party.”

As a result of the JCP increase in Upper House seats to eleven, the party regained its voice in steering Diet proceedings. It now has a legislative bargaining position in the Diet and the right to submit bills to the Diet.

Shii proposed that all JCP Dietmembers engage in Diet debate through active utilization of this power.