 Akahata foresees deepening contradictions in Koizumi government The January 1 issue of Akahata predicted how Japanese politics will develop in the New Year. The support rate for the Liberal Democratic Party government led by Prime Minister Jun'ichiro has fallen and the nation's economy has slowed down. Predicting that LDP government policies will further deepen contradictions both in and out of Japan, the paper said as follows: "We made the decision to end the 1999 fixed-rate temporary tax reduction in the next two years. We did so like skating on thin ice," said Niwa Yuya, an LDP lawmaker and former Health, Labor and Welfare minister. He confessed, "No substantial discussion took place as to what will come after ending the tax cut," which means a mass tax increase. Likewise, they do not have a sound outlook as to the aftereffects of the planned increase in the consumption tax rate from the present 5 percent to more than 10 percent. In 1997, the government carried out a major tax increase that included increases in the consumption tax rate and an adverse revision of the and medical insurance system, forcing people to pay an extra nine trillion yen hampering Japan's economic recovery. This means that even ruling party lawmakers and business leaders are apprehensive about the new tax policy because it may repeat the same mistake. Following the adverse revision of the pension system in 2004, the Koizumi Cabinet plans to increase fees for nursing care services for elderly people. Another LDP lawmaker said with a sigh that such a policy will only help stir up people's anger. Nikkei Shimbun's public opinion survey published on Dec. 28, 2004 showed that 41% of the respondents supported the Koizumi Cabinet, while 45% showed disapproval. On January 21, the ordinary Diet session will be convened focusing on the mass tax increase plan. Also, the "postal service reform" will be Prime Minister Koizumi's policy priority in the next Diet session, although many people are not enthusiastic about it. It will ruin postal and monetary services that are essential to daily living, such as mail delivery service at national uniform rates, and will put the postal savings accounts into the hand of major banks. SDF dispatch to Iraq Ignoring pubic criticism, the government late last year extended the term of dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq by one year. This will soon encounter difficulties related to Iraq's national election scheduled for the end of January. Also, despite the planned withdrawal in March of the Netherlands forces assigned to public security in Samawah, Koizumi just stated that Japan will discuss the issue with the U.S. and British forces and other parties concerned. He has no idea at all as to what's going to happen. The Iraqi situation can lead to the cabinet's downfall. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Koizumi's annual visit to Yasukuni Shrine has been criticized from both in and out of Japan because Class-A war criminals are honored at the shrine even though they promoted the war of aggression. LDP and DPJ compete for constitutional revision and mass tax increase The Liberal Democratic Party, that marks its 50th founding anniversary on November 15, 2005, will set out to draft a revised constitution from the New Year. Discussions at the LDP new constitution drafting headquarters, headed by Prime Minister Koizumi and helped by former prime ministers and others, will start on January 24. Also, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan will finish drafting a new constitution by March. The LDP-Komei ruling coalition has agreed to submit a national referendum bill in the next ordinary Diet session to establish procedures for revising the Constitution. Now that the DPJ has little differences with the LDP in terms of tax and constitution policies, the LDP is urging the DPJ to stand side by side with them. The Japanese Communist Party and other parties are preparing to win the coming elections as the key to winning victories in the general election and the 2006 House of Councilors election. The Kita Kyushu City assembly members election in January and the Tokyo Metropolitan assembly members election in June are this year's key political battles. Some by-elections for the House of Representatives in April are also expected to be held this year. (end) |