Next Diet session should break through crisis of people's livelihoods: JCP Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta in meeting with DPJ counterpart
Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji on October 15 stressed that an extraordinary Diet session, scheduled to be convened late this month, should discuss ways to break through the on-going crisis of people's livelihoods in a meeting with his counterpart of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, Yamaoka Kenji.
Yamaoka said that the ruling parties consider the compilation of the second supplementary budget for FY 2009 and the next fiscal year's budget as the most important task of the upcoming Diet session.
In response to Yamaoka, Kokuta explained the JCP's stance in regard to two points.
First, concerning what kind of discussions that the JCP believes should take place in the next extraordinary session of the Diet, Kokuta raised the following two points: the basic stance of the new government should thoroughly be presented since it will be the first Diet session after the change of power; it should work for breaking through the urgent crisis of people's living conditions in various fields, including employment, smaller businesses, and social welfare programs.
Secondly, Kokuta expressed concerns over the proposal to ban bureaucrats from responding to questions in Diet discussions and other revisions of the Diet Act, which is called for by DPJ Ozawa Ichiro to be carried out in the next extraordinary Diet session.
Kokuta said, "The whole picture behind Mr. Ozawa's proposal for 'Diet reform' should be revealed. Then all the Diet parties need to take part in discussions on this matter in public debate." He stated that it is a fundamental issue related to the highest organ of state power and that the Diet's function as legislature and administrative watchdog should not be weakened.
- Akahata, October 16, 2009