Cross-party lawmakers demand an end to policy restraining expenditure on social services

Japan Press Weekly

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Cross-party lawmakers demand an end to policy restraining expenditure on social services

A cross-party group of 150 Dietmembers submitted to the government a petition calling for an end to the policy of restraining the use of tax money for social welfare services.

Representatives of the group, that include Japanese Communist Party members of the House of Councilors Koike Akira and Yamashita Yoshiki, on June 18 met with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Ota Hiroko and Health Minister Masuzoe Yoichi.

They urged the government to end the policy of “keeping the number of medical students low” and ensure that enough tax money is allocated to necessary medical services by revising the plan to annually cut social welfare expenditure by 220 billion yen.

Regarding the social welfare cuts, Ota said, “While the reform of revenues and expenditures is an important task, I don’t think fiscal reconstruction should be pursued through undermining the primary role of medical services.”

Ota emphasized, “While we need to restrain an increase in social welfare expenditure, we should also pursue cost-effectiveness in the existing institutions.”

JCP representative Koike Akira said, “The government should consider efficiency separately from a 220 billion yen cut in social welfare cost. If there is money set aside as a result of a cost-effective effort, that money should be used to improve social welfare services.” - Akahata, June 19, 2008