Japan Press Weekly

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2025 July 2 - 8 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Tamura in kick-off speech appeals for need of JCP advance in Upper House election to push for a lower sales tax

The official 17-day campaign period started on July 3 for the House of Councilors election in which how to protect people’s livelihoods from rising prices is the biggest issue. Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko delivered the party’s kick-off speech in Tokyo and Kyoto, appealing to voters for the need for a major JCP advance in order to reduce the Liberal Democratic-Komei force to a minority position in the Upper House and lower the consumption tax rate to 5%.

Tamura stressed that a major advance of the JCP, which squarely confronts the LDP-Komei government with its financially sound counterproposals, and a victory of unified opposition candidates in 17 single-member districts will put an end to anti-people LDP politics and open up hope for a different direction in politics.

In the kick-off speech, Tamura, along with key issues in the election, cited an emerging anti-foreigner trend among rightists. She pointed out, “The government maladministration should be blamed for causing hardships and difficulties people are experiencing in everyday life. To direct the blame at foreigners who live and work in Japan will not help improve society, but instead create a society which disrespects targeted individual’s human rights.” She said that the JCP will firmly stand up against all forms of xenophobic discrimination.

Among the audience at the JCP kick-off speech in Tokyo, there was a woman in her 50s who noted that the LDP and the right-wing populist party “Sanseito” advocate a policy that discriminates against non-Japanese individuals. She expressed her concern by saying, “A move to fuel hostility towards foreign people appears to be part of preparations for war.”

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LDP President and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in his kick-off speech in Hyogo’s Akashi City described the consumption tax as an important financial source to fund social welfare services. He indicated a negative stance towards a reduction in the consumption tax rate by saying that to undermine the financial stability of social welfare programs is unacceptable.

Past related articles:
> Unified opposition candidates to be put up in 17 single-seat districts in upcoming Upper House election [ July 1, 2025]
> JCP releases election platform focusing on protecting people’s livelihoods from rising prices [ June 6, 2025]