Election campaign for the House of Councilors will start on June 22 and voters will cast a ballot on July 10. This election is an opportunity to restore the constitutional order by rejecting the Abe government which widens gaps between the rich and the poor and manages politics violently to challenge the Constitution. Candidates who oppose the ruling coalition have been successfully fielded in all of the single-seated constituencies, which will construe a key factor for results. It is the time for the New Socialist Party to work actively for victory.


VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON FUTURE


No! ? Authoritarian Politics


It was September 19 last year that lawmakers, using the majority power in the Diet, forced to pass the controversial national security bills (= war legislation) which authorize the right of collective self-defense, which the Constitution undoubtedly prohibits. The day, simultaneously, is a start of mass struggles against implementation of the enacted laws.

Wide-spread indignation against the Abe government and subsequent mass movements across the country ? this fact has brought about united blocs of opposition parties and civic organizations. That represents a phase that these forces can successfully field common candidates for the Upper House election in each of all the 32 single-seated constituencies. Inside the parliament the opposition parties have jointly submitted in total 15 bills to both of the two Houses. During the election campaign the opposition parties and civic groups keep demanding abrogation of the war legislation.


Crucial election


We must win in this election by any means. We cannot leave the Abe government overconfident enough to amend the war-renouncing Constitution. Voters stand at a turning point: whether to take a path to a world leading to wars abroad by way of competitions and absence of government’s responsibility or a path to a world that guarantees the right to live in peace and dissolves social chasms.


Who decides on future?


‘It is we, voters, that decide on future’. Every one of voters, or a sovereign citizen, faces a crossroad.


Politics should secure dignity of individuals and the right to live in peace. So social services must not be financed by revenues coming from the consumption tax. Welfare constitutes redistribution of people’s wealth. The rich and big business take advantage of the tax haven scheme: those who evade taxation must be imposed on right social burdens.


We must let the government stabilize employment for workers and guarantee their wages sufficient to support the decent living standard.


We must demand the government to change the current scholarship programs which impose a big sum of bank loans on young graduates. Measures to tackle poverty are urgently needed not only for senior citizens but also for all generations, including young people


In Okinawa tragic events do not cease. Until when will the island prefecture be forced to offer living space to US military to attack foreign countries? Until when will residents live on in the conditions of the illegitimate Status of Forces Agreement?


Though the Fukushima nuclear accident was so disastrous, the government still clings to nuclear power generation. We must stop the trend. The government keeps telling lies to ratify TPP, the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.


Let’s defeat Abe’s policies!


The so-called Abenomics, a deceptive economic policy, was launched by the government a few years ago. The more optimistically expect people to see development, the wider gaps expand among the rich and the poor to deepen poverty. People are losing tolerance.


Since the beginning of the second-round of the Abe administration wages for workers have fallen by 3%, while internal reserves of big corporations have reached 336 trillion Yen (excluding the financial and insurance sectors) with an increase rate of 34%. The objective of Abenomics is, clearly, to transform the country to ‘a place where business can enjoy maximum freedom’. It betrays people with illusions to lead social opinions to amending the Constitution.


We, voters, decide on our future. The New Socialist Party continues to struggle resiliently.


June 14, 2016