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2003 JAN 22 - JAN 28 JPS NEWS

GOVERNMENT IS ONLY PREOCCUPIED WITH ASSISTING IN U.S. WAR
Prime Minister Koizumi's cabinet, which has sent an Aegis warship to the Indian Ocean in support of U.S. war, is now trying to get the war bills enacted. more

JOIN FORCES TO OVERCOME ATTACKS ON PEOPLE'S LIVING CONDITIONS
With the 2003 Spring Struggle reaching the climax, the demands of workers for better living conditions and job security are particularly urgent. more

SHORTER WORKING HOURS WILL HELP CREATE JOBS AND PREVENT DEATH FROM OVERWORK
The JCP in the Diet cited Toyota Motor Corp. as an example of long working hours, and drove home to the prime minister the need to press employers to shorten working hours. more

DIET
Supplementary budget
* Use tax money to improve living conditions (January 22)

Change Koizumi's economic policy -- Akahata editorial, January 22
* Four opposition parties demand redoing of supplementary budget (January 23)
* 'Koizumi Reform' burdens people with extra 4 trillion yen (January 23)
* Lower House passes 2002 additional budget draft (January 28)

Budget for disabled needs to be increased, not slashed -- Akahata editorial, January 28

Working hours
* Shorter working hours will help create jobs and prevent death from overwork (January 24)

Consumption tax
* Give up consumption tax rate increase: JCP (January 25)

Health and medicine
* Opposition spreads to heavier patient burden of medical services (January 27)
* Health ministry is responsible for 124 deaths related to anti-cancer medicine:
JCP (January 27)

LABOR
Spring struggle
* 2003 spring struggle begins (January 22)

Let us join forces to overcome attacks on people's living conditions -- Akahata
editorial, January 24

WAR OR PEACE
War on Iraq
* Japan Peace Committee urges UNSC member states to commit themselves to
a peaceful solution of Iraq issue (January 25)
* Zenroren at World Social Forum calls for joint action against war on Iraq (January 27)
* Koizumi is reluctant to speak against U.S. war on Iraq (January 28)

Wartime bills
Government is only preoccupied with assisting in U.S. war -- Akahata
editorial, January 26

U.S. forces in Japan
* Okinawans oppose new reinforced U.S. naval base: JCP Akamine (January 24)
* Government to discuss return of U.S. base land in Yokohama (January 24)
* U.S. fighter jets carry out operations against Iraq from bases in Japan (January 28)

ANTI-NUCLEAR WEAPONS
* Japan's anti-nuclear movement encourages world (January 23)

NUCLEAR REACTOR
* High court: government approval of nuclear reactor Monju invalid (January 28)

JCP
'Eighty Years of the Japanese Communist Party' will help us discover history
that guide us today' -- Akahata editorial, January 23 (excerpts)