Criticism alone, in response to medium- and long-term problems, cannot be expected to promote a constructive battle of words. Opposition parties must present specific counterproposals to the policies pursued by the government.
Diet interpellations by representatives from each political party have started in response to the latest policy speech delivered by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Yukio Edano, leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), opposed an increase in the consumption tax rate to 10 percent in October next year, saying: "Increases in wages and domestic demand remain less than strong. The economic outlook is even more unclear than at the time when decisions were made about postponing [an increase in the tax rate] in the past."
The prime minister said, "By implementing all possible measures, [the government] will do its utmost to respond so [the tax hike] will not adversely affect the economy."
The consumption tax increase was decided as part of integrated tax and social security reforms by three parties -- the former Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito -- when the DPJ was in power.
Despite having been postponed twice, the consumption tax raise cannot be avoided, to cover growing social security costs due to the aging of society. That course of action could be shared among the ruling and opposition parties.
The CDPJ, now the largest opposition group in both chambers of the Diet, should present concrete measures regarding how such financial burdens should be shouldered by the public, based on a medium- and long-term perspective.
With regard to the reduced tax rate that will be introduced, Edano made such critical remarks as that the plan will inevitably create turmoil due to the lack of preparedness among small and medium-sized business operators.
The government needs to implement measures in an integrated manner aimed at easing the sense of burden felt by the public, including increased subsidies for home purchases and reductions in automobile-related taxes.
State views on SDF
Edano raised questions about government efforts to increase the number of foreign workers accepted into this nation, saying that the endeavor appears to be a change to the immigration intake policy. Rejecting this assertion, the prime minister said the move will be limited to types of industry that are truly in need of workers and that foreign nationals who can immediately handle the necessary work will be accepted for a limited period of time.
As a future labor shortage due to the low birthrate is anticipated, accepting foreign laborers is an issue that should be addressed from a medium- and long-term standpoint. The ruling and opposition parties should thoroughly debate the matter, with a view to preventing the move from resulting in the deterioration of public safety and foreign nationals illegally staying here.
Edano advanced his view that the true nature of the Constitution is to restrain the power of the state, arguing that it is "out of the question" for the prime minister to become the "flag waver," despite being in a position to be restricted in this respect. His remark was intended to criticize an argument in support of revising the Constitution at the initiative of the prime minister.
Over a period of close to 20 years, efforts have been made in the Diet to ensure that an awareness of the issues involved in constitutional amendment is shared among legislators, regarding various points of contention about the highest law. Edano's stance of refusing even to start Diet discussions on constitutional revision is questionable.
Yuichiro Tamaki, chief of the Democratic Party for the People, proposed what he called "peaceful revision of the Constitution," which would write such items into the supreme law as the right to the minimum necessary level of self-defense. His remark was intended to assert that the text of an LDP amendment draft, which would write the Self-Defense Forces into Article 9 of the Constitution, could expand the scope of the self-defense right.
How the SDF should be treated in the Constitution has long been a grave problem.
It is indispensable for each party to show its view about the issue at the Commission on the Constitution in each house of the Diet, thereby promoting in-depth discussions on the matter.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 30, 2018)
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