Japan Press Weekly

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2008 January 9 - 15 TOP3 [POLITICS]

JCP chair calls for political framework to serve the public, not U.S. or business circles

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on January 10, in reply to reporters’ questions, pointed to two characteristics that the Diet has acquired in the current extraordinary session.

One is that the public has become able to influence actual policies in many cases.

The severe verdict against the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties’ policies that the public delivered in the House of Councilors election last summer has greatly affected the outcome of political developments since then, Shii pointed out.

Citing the significance of the unanimous adoption of bills to revise the Natural Disaster Victims Relief Law and to provide drug-induced hepatitis C victims with uniform relief, Shii stated, “Under public pressure, the ruling parties have been unable to easily take actions challenging public opinions. The Democratic Party has also been bound by its campaign promise of being ‘anti-ruling coalition.’ Thus, a new condition in the Diet has been created in which the public is influencing policy formation.”

The other characteristic is that the basic framework of the LDP policy of subservience to the United States and large corporations remains intact.

Shii pointed out with regard to the basic policy issues such as sending the Self-Defense Forces abroad and consumption tax hikes that the DPJ and LDP share the same stance.

Stressing that there is no marked difference between the LDP and the DPJ as far as the basic issues are concerned, Shii said, “While striving to achieve earnest demands of the public, the JCP will make efforts to fundamentally change Japan’s political structure.”

“The JCP is calling for replacing the current political framework of serving the U.S. and Japanese business circles with one of serving the public. We will formulate concrete policies and engage in struggles to implement such a strategy,” Shii said.