Representations made for state budgets assisting people’s livelihoods

Japan Press Weekly

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Representations made for state budgets assisting people’s livelihoods

Members of labor unions and farmers, women, and pensioners organizations on October 7 made representations to several ministries calling for an increase in state budgets in support of people’s living conditions.

Ministries are now in the process of drafting budgets in response to the Hatoyama Cabinet’s order to drastically revise the budget requests for the next fiscal year.

Participants to the representations demanded that the government improve social security programs, strengthen employment measures and childcare support, and provide free education for high school students in the FY 2010 budgets.

At the Welfare Ministry, they requested the abolition of the medical insurance system for people 75 and older and resumption of welfare benefits for mother-child households.

They urged the Education Ministry to provide support to elementary and junior high school students, establish a scholarship system with no obligation to repay, and abolish national academic achievement tests.

Participants included members of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), the New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin), the National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nominren), the Japan Federation of Medical Workers' Unions (Iroren), the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo), and the Pensioners’ Union.
- Akahata, October 8, 2009