Japan Press Weekly

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2015 January 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

JCP Dietmembers initiate activities to benefit the general public

Japanese Communist Party members of the Diet, including those who became first-time and returning lawmakers as a result of the general election at the end of last year, on January 7 lost no time in initiating activities requesting that government ministries serve the interests of the general public.

For departure from nuclear power generation

Shimizu Tadashi (HR, Kinki) and Horiuchi Terufumi (HR, Kinki) accompanied by Kurabayashi Akiko (HC) visited the Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. in Osaka City, demanding that the planned increase in electricity rates be cancelled and that the utility depart from nuclear power generation.

On the grounds that a “delay” in restarting its nuclear power reactors has caused a sharp increase in fuel costs for thermal power generation, the power company decided to increase electricity charges by 10.23% on average for home use and 13.93% for commercial use.

Handing over a written demand, Kurabayashi said, “The majority of people are opposed to the reactivation of nuclear power plants. Please, seriously take into consideration the popular demand calling for the decommissioning of all nuclear reactors.”

For smaller class sizes

Hatano Kimie (HR, Minami-Kanto) and Ohira Yoshinobu (HR, Chugoku) together with Tamura Tomoko (HC) made representations to the ministries of education and finance to urge them to promote small-sized classes for all grades in public elementary schools.

While the Education Ministry plans to increase the number of public school teachers and to expand the 35-pupil class size, the Finance Ministry proposes that the upper limit of class sizes for first grade children be returned to 40 from the current 35. The treasury authorities also suggest decreasing the budget for teacher salaries.

Among OECD member states, the average number of first-graders per class is about 21. Teaching staff in other OECD nations work an average of 38.3 hours a week. In contrast, Japanese teachers work on average 53.9 hours per week.

The JCP Dietmembers criticized the return to the 40-student class size, requesting that smaller-sized classes be introduced in all grades. In order to secure the necessary number of teaching staff to achieve small classes for all children, they also requested a systematic increase in the number of public school teachers and staff.

For sufficient sugarcane subsidies

Akamine Seiken (HR, Okinawa) and Kami Tomoko (HC) visited the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to request that the ministry provide subsidies to producers of sugarcane and sweet potatoes so that they can continue to survive as farmers.

Kami said, “Many farm producers are struggling hard with typhoons, cold temperatures, or pest damage. The ministry should improve the subsidy system to reflect the added costs of extreme weather and pest outbreaks.”

They also requested that machinery and equipment lease costs for sugar beets be subsidized, and that measures be taken to prevent the spread of potato parasites.