A new year has come. Offenses and defenses over the issue of amendment of the Constitution will be harsher. Amendment means to destroy peace and democracy. That links with greater anxiety in livelihood. The New Socialist Party is determined to defend the Constitution as a political entity, carry out its spirits and articles into the daily life as well as into employment and enhance mass movements to dispel uneasiness in social services.


LET’S STRUGGLE TO DEFEND CONSTITUITON AND TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SERVICES


Political parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito, and, complementary forces of the Ishin-no-kai and the Nippon-no-kokoro, occupy 2/3 of the seats in both of the parliamentary houses. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, on behalf of the majority in the Diet, is intended eagerly to present a draft text of new constitution prepared by the LDP to the ordinary Diet session.


The Abe government incites tension in the problems over the Korean Peninsula, but does not engage in peace diplomacy to dissolve the conflict. That stance contributes to purchasing US-made weapons.


The government, however, does not presuppose possible consequences to be brought about by a war in the Korean Peninsula. The stance is irresponsible in the same way as the government showed in the accidents of nuclear power stations.


Split of Government from Social Consensus


While Premier Abe Shinzo relies on the parliamentary majority, opposition to his amendment drives is far greater than favor to his policy, according to several opinion polls.


Suspicion on the scandals over the Moritomo and Kake schools has deepened. Opinion surveys disclose that the majority of people do not support Abe’s three consecutive presidency of the LDP. The basis of Abe Government is unstable without doubt as it reigns in a totalitarian way. In the October general election the government tried to split the unified opposition forces, but the latter resisted fiercely in the people’s movements.


The experience tells us that we should not only expect political parties but also let them pursue politics to carry out constitutional principles in the real life. We live in the era when people should stage such vital movements. Urgent tasks lie not only in political agenda but also in improvement of employment and public services that support people’s life.


In both of Political and Economic Contexts


The Abe government becomes a fire extinguisher when a problem appears from his unsuccessful deeds. When it is disclosed concretely to provoke social reactions, it presents a convenient measure ? you can see examples in the issues of fellowships for higher education students and free-of-charge education. Premier even declares that it is necessary to guarantee public services for all the generations. He says this and that as an excuse to heighten the consumption tax rate to 10%.


Now, what is important? How does behave a camp of pro-Constitution forces and the Liberals on the labor issue? What policies does it carry out so that people can be free of uneasiness coming from the collapsed public services? How do they organize mass movements?


The consumption tax actually fills a gap produced by the reduced taxes for Big Business and the riches. It means a tax increase on the side of people. So it is necessary to get down the consumption tax rate and to back to the past taxation for the business and the riches. If a worker wants to be employed on the regular basis, he should be ensured. The minimum wage should be set as 1,500 Yen per hour to surge the bottom salary. It is necessary to stop pension decreases and to recover lost portions. If people are free of anxieties in their life, the national economy will revive.


Elections


A governor election in Okinawa will be held this year, which is to be continued to the scheduled 2019 elections for municipalities and the House of Councilors. The Abe government, on the contrary, regards this year as a year of referendum for constitution amendment. Thus the year 2018 will be a battlefield in which the Constitution and people’s life are at stake.


Let’s unify citizens with political parties. Let’s exert best efforts to enhance mass movements together with colleagues.




January 1, 2018