Extension of Diet session is outrageous--Akahata editorial, June 19 (excerpts)

The government and the ruling parties have decided to extend the current Diet session by 42 days to get the controversial bills enacted. The current 150-day session was to end on June 19.

To begin with, these bills have met strong public criticism because, if enacted, they will threaten people's lives and Japan's peace, and undermine living conditions.

As more problems about these bills came to light in parliament, 50 to 60 percent of the people in public opinion surveys say that they oppose the contingency legislation, the bill for an adverse revision of the medical insurance system, and the so-called personal information protection bill.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda Yasuo's remarks that the Three Non-nuclear Principles might be altered and the Defense Agency's list of information seekers' personal information have given rise to concern at home and abroad that the government and the Defense Agency may become terribly dangerous if they have the contingency legislation in hand.

The people wanted to see the Diet come up with measures for economic recovery and job security, and investigate into corruption involving Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers.

But ruling Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Conservative parties and Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro are engaged in desperate efforts to cover up the scandals and deny responsibility.

The task now is for the Diet to examine the Suzuki Muneo scandal to establish the facts about it and thoroughly discuss problems of the concession hunting and corrupt politics instead of ramming through undemocratic bills.

People are now forsaking the Koizumi Cabinet and its support rate has fallen to around 30 percent. It's outrageous for the cabinet which is also losing its capability to govern to extend the Diet session in order to railroad through anti-people bills.

Let's develop struggles both in and out of the Diet until the bad bills are scrapped and the ruling parties suffer a crushing blow. (end)