Japan Press Weekly

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2015 December 23 - 2016 January 5 [POLITICS]

Shii announces JCP’s three basic approaches to conducting deliberations in ordinary Diet session

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on January 4 at a press conference in the Diet building explained three basic approaches JCP lawmakers will take to conducting deliberations in the 190th ordinary session of the Diet which was convened on this day.

Shii said that the JCP regards this Diet session as an important stage to prepare for the coming Upper House election and realize a “national coalition government to repeal the war legislation”. Shii then explained the party’s basic stance in regard to Diet discussions.

Firstly, Shii said that the party will focus on the issue of repealing the unconstitutional war legislation (national security-related legislation).

Shii said that due to the enactment of the security legislation, the possibility of members of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces “killing” and “being killed” has become a reality. Referring to the 2016 draft budget which shows that Japan’s military spending will increase to five trillion yen for the first time, Shii said that the government has been moving to change Japan into a war fighting nation since the war laws were approved.

Meanwhile, Shii noted that many citizens are working to abolish the unconstitutional legislation by such means as the 20 million signature drive, and said, “JCP Dietmembers will work hard so that their Diet deliberations can contribute to influencing public opinion to overwhelmingly support the abolition of the legislation.”

Regarding the JCP’s second basic stance, Shii said that in the forthcoming Diet deliberations, the JCP will present proposals based on popular public demand in order to stop the Abe government from pushing forward with its runaway policies and to force a change in political direction.

In addition, the JCP will further develop joint struggles among opposition parties during the Diet session.

Shii pointed out that in the last Diet session, opposition parties jointly fought to block the passage of the war bills, which promoted the advance of collaboration between the JCP and other opposition parties. Shii said, “In the just-convened Diet session, the JCP will call on other opposition parties to work together on various issues and will continue making efforts to produce good results in the JCP proposals for opposition parties’ electoral cooperation in the Upper House election and for a national coalition government.”

Past related articles:
> ‘Civil Alliance’ formed to repeal war legislation [December 21, 2015]
> 20 million signatures drive started to repeal war laws [November 4, 2015]