Big business has no sense of regret, again pushing its demands on new administration

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Big business has no sense of regret, again pushing its demands on new administration
Akahata editorial

Japan's major business federations such as the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) are now pushing their demands on the newly-formed Hatoyama administration.

We must not overlook the fact that such business circles are still seeking to maintain the "structural reform policy" as they have promoted with the previous Liberal Democratic-Komei government. They are demanding that the new government should "not turn it back (Nippon Keidanren)" and "responsibly handle government administration (Keizai Doyukai)."

Doesn't big business realize that voters put an end to LDP-Komei government policies that it supported? Does big business have no sense of regret or responsibility over the "structural reform policy" which has destroyed people's living conditions and economy?

For big companies' profit

Longing to maintain the "reform policy," all business circles want the new administration to do is deregulate with the aim of revitalizing the private sector, opening public services to the private sectors, strengthening industry's international competitiveness, and promoting diversity of employment.

In other words, they want the new administration to act so that large corporations can make more profits.

Business circles are opposing new policies, including the drastic revision of the Worker Dispatch Law and a 25%-cut in greenhouse gas emissions, although these are what the people have demanded and the new administration is intending to carry out. No matter what they say, the fact is that big corporations oppose any policy if it may contribute to a decrease in their profits.

Nippon Keidanren calls for taking steps to restore "fiscal health" through "drastic revision of the taxation system and a consumption tax increase" with the intention of imposing further financial burdens on the general public.

Keizai Doyukai is also placing great importance on the policy to restore "fiscal health," including the "integrated expenditure and revenue reform" policy, as one of the "responsible policies."

Under the LDP-led government, the business circles have been a part of the "triangle" of cozy relations between politicians, the big business sector, and bureaucrats. It has influenced the government's policy-making by making demands directly or through government panels. It has controlled political and bureaucratic circles by making political donations and giving executive corporate positions to retired bureaucrats. It is unacceptable that the business circles will deal with the new government in the same way it had dealt with the LDP-Komei government.

The old ruling coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the recent general election due to public criticism over its longtime policies in favor of major corporations. In particular, the "structural reform" policies promoted by the LDP-Komei government have only increased large corporations' profits while destroying people's living conditions, medium- and small-sized businesses, and agriculture. They have also created the economy operating under the law of the jungle as illustrated by the rapid increase in "disposable" temporary workers. Its promotion of "small government" policy has cut social welfare programs, making it harder to guarantee the minimum standard of living for many.

In its recent report, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned that with the high rate of temporary workers, poverty is increasing rapidly among workers in Japan. With its selfish profit-first policy, the business circles still call for the "structural reform" policies to be continued even though it is obvious that they have destroyed the people's living conditions.

Block business circle's attempt with strong people's movement

It is absolutely ludicrous that the Japan Business Federation and other business organizations are calling for the introduction of the do-shu regional government system, promotion of national security, and revision of the Constitution in addition to their economy-related requests.

The people must be the sovereigns who decide Japan's future course. Their united struggle must block the business circle's move to keep pushing its policies even after the fall of the LDP-Komei government.

- Akahata, September 19, 2009