Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2016 September 21 - 27 [POLITICS]

Opposition parties will oppose forcible passage of TPP

Four opposition parties and one parliamentary group have agreed to stand against hasty Diet deliberations on and a forcible passage of Japan’s TPP ratification.

The Japanese Communist, Democratic, People’s Life, Social Democratic parties, and the Upper House political group “Okinawa Whirlwind” on September 23 held a meeting of secretaries general in the Diet building and decided to be aligned in opposition to the ratification of the free trade pact.

They also decided to hold negotiations on cooperation in the Diet, the by-elections, and the next general election.

JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira in the meeting called on each party’s representatives to continue working together in regards to urgent issues in the Diet such as the effort to object to a “zero-overtime payment” system.

DP Secretary General Noda Yoshihiko in response said that it is important for the opposition forces to act in concert to confront the Abe government and that the DP is ready to enhance opposition parties’ cooperation. Noda also said that the DP is willing to focus on joint submission of bills by the opposition parties.

Past related article:
> Japan should not rush for TPP ratification [September 3, 2016]