January 24, 2023

The 211th ordinary session of the Diet was convened on January 23 and is scheduled to continue for 150 days. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio gave his policy speech to both Houses of the Diet in their plenary meetings. He said that a drastic enhancement of Japan’s security capability is an important agenda item for his government. On the other hand, he failed to indicate effective measures to protect people’s livelihoods from the ongoing price surge.

Later in the day at a press conference in the Diet building, commenting on PM Kishida’s policy speech, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo said that although Kishida intends to make a drastic change in Japan’s security policy which includes a vast and unprecedented military buildup and Japan’s possession of an enemy base-strike capability, he provided no explanation for this move. Shii said that in this ordinary Diet session, the JCP will counter Kishida’s attempt with a proposal for Japan’s diplomacy that can contribute to maintaining its peace and security.

Regarding the issue of unprecedented price hikes, Shii pointed out that Kishida has no recognition that a major problem is the continuous decline in workers’ real wages amid rising prices. Shii explained the JCP proposal for wage hikes which aims at supporting smaller businesses and increasing minimum wages with additional tax revenues collected from the temporary levy of a tax on large corporations’ internal reserves. Shii expressed his determination to work hard to increase public opinion calling for political responsibility to increase wages.

Shii pointed out that Kishida gave high priority to child-related policies but mentioned nothing about ways to reduce the household burden of education costs. He also pointed out that Kishida did not explain measures to increase the use of nuclear energy that will allow the construction of new nuclear power plants and expand the maximum operational period of NPPs beyond 60 years. Shii said that the JCP will grill PM Kishida on these issues.

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On the opening day of the ordinary Diet session, Shii spoke at the JCP Dietmembers’ general assembly held in the Diet building. Shii pointed out that the Kishida government has no concrete measures to overcome the challenges Japan is facing. He called on JCP Dietmembers to conduct Diet deliberations based on JCP proposals that represent people’s demands. He also called for engaging in Diet discussions that will contribute to party members’ efforts to achieve victories in this spring’s nationwide simultaneous local elections and attain a 1.3-fold increase in the party membership.

Past related articles:
> JCP Koike criticizes LDP vice-president for making 'public understands need for tax hikes for defense boost' remark [January 11, 2023]
> JCP 7th CC Plenum resolves to achieve victories in nationwide simultaneous local elections and 1.3-fold increase in party strength [January 6, 2023]
> PM Kishida’s ‘double the child-related budget’ slogan is empty promise [December 21, 2022]