Our Three Pledges
Japan is already experiencing an extreme aging of society along with a declining birthrate, a phenomenon unparalleled elsewhere in the world. But proper policies are nowhere in sight. On the contrary, the Japanese people cannot have confidence even in their pensions which is something the nation is supposed to have promised to its people. Our local communities have also almost collapsed beyond remedy. That is why the Democratic Party of Japan will initiate politics for 窶弃utting People窶冱 Lives First窶 drawing on our Three Pledges regarding pensions, childrearing, and agriculture.

To issue 窶徘ension passbooks窶 to ensure pensions do not 窶忻anish.窶?br /> The state will take it upon itself to pay in full the benefits due.

People depend on their pensions as their 窶徑ast refuge窶 for livelihood security. The Democratic Party of Japan will take the initiative to resolve the issue of 窶忻anishing pensions窶 and will protect your pension. To ensure that such irresponsible pension administration does not happen again, we will unify all pension programs into a single system, transforming it into a system in which the state takes full responsibility for providing all people with 窶徼rustworthy pensions窶? We will dissolve the Social Insurance Agency, an organization that has been unable to properly keep track of the people窶冱 pension premium payments and has wasted pension premiums.

We will radically revise pension revenue sources. The base portion of pensions will be fully financed through tax revenues, and consumption tax revenues will be wholly committed to finance pensions. Above all, by implementing thorough administrative reform and eliminating waste of taxpayers窶 money, we will keep the consumption tax at its current rate. We will not place more financial pressure on the people.

The Democratic Party of Japan will build a stable pension system where the current level of pension benefits is maintained so that the Japanese people can enjoy secure lives.

• Prior to the dissolution of the Social Insurance Agency, the state will take responsibility for creating correct pension records and protecting your pension by collating old microfilm and paper ledger data against computerized data.
• The state will take it upon itself to deliver premium payment data to all of the approximately 100 million public pension program subscribers so that each individual can confirm the record of his or her premium payments.
• We will issue pension passbooks to all pension program subscribers. These bankbook-like passbooks will have a full record of the subscriber窶冱 pension premium payments so that subscribers can confirm their records whenever they would like.
• We will dissolve the Social Insurance Agency and merge it with the National Tax Agency, strictly managing pension premiums. In this way, we will prevent recurrence of 窶忻anishing pensions窶 and create a waste-free operating system.
• Pension premiums will only be used for the payment of pension benefits. We will abolish the present system that allows the use of pension premiums for purposes other than the payment of pension benefits.
• We will create a transparent and fair system by unifying all pension programs into a single system and making a framework where all people subscribe to the same pension.
• We will thoroughly eliminate waste of taxpayers窶 money and keep the consumption tax at its current rate, with consumption tax revenues totally committed to finance pensions. In these ways, we will maintain the current level of pension benefits.
• We will create a solid and stable system by fully financing the base (minimum guaranteed) portion of pensions through tax revenues and eliminating non-payment of premiums.

To create a society where families feel secure in childrearing. The state will issue a per capita child allowance of 26,000 yen per month.

Our children are precious treasures that will lead Japan into the future. The Democratic Party of Japan will create a framework where the responsibility of childrearing is not placed solely on parents alone; it will be a framework where childrearing and education are supported by all of society.

First, in order that all people can feel secure in bearing and raising children, we will create a per capita child allowance of 26,000 yen per month that will be paid until the child completes compulsory education. Subsequent high school education will also be made free, and the scholarship system for university, vocational schools, and other institutions will be expanded to lighten the burden on parents.

The national and local governments, schools, parents, and the local communities will pool their strength and take mutual responsibility to guarantee equal educational opportunities for Japan窶冱 children and thus eliminate the 窶彳ducation disparities窶?

• A per capita 窶彡hild allowance窶 of 26,000 yen per month will be set up and paid until the child graduates from junior high school.
• Tuition, etc. at public high schools will be made free, and scholarship programs will be expanded.
• Japan窶冱 government expenditure for education is among the lowest of industrialized nations. We will strive to increase the current level by 50 percent.
• Improvements will be made in educating and training teachers, including increasing licensing requirement for teachers to six years of education, and an environment will be created in which teachers can concentrate on teaching. In these ways, we will raise the quality of education.
• We will clarify the state窶冱 responsibility in compulsory education and shift to a framework where local governments are responsible for school administration. As part of that, 窶彜chool Boards窶 will be created where parents and community residents can participate in school administration and other school affairs.

To revive the regions through a dynamic agricultural industry. The state will adopt an 窶彿ndividual (household) income support system窶 for agriculture.

Food is a staple of our lives. So that the Japanese people feel secure about their food and enjoy a high-quality diet, we will create a framework for the stable supply of safe agricultural products that are domestically grown wherever possible. To achieve this, an 窶彿ndividual (household) income support system窶 will be established so that our farmers can feel secure about engaging in agriculture.

Through this, we will raise Japan窶冱 food self-sufficiency ratio, which is the lowest of industrialized nations. Moreover, we will rectify 窶徨egional disparities窶 by stabilizing the management of agriculture and thereby revitalizing regional communities, which are the Japanese people窶冱 hometowns. The revitalization of agriculture is indispensable for the preservation of Japan窶冱 beautiful natural environment.

In addition, by promoting self-reliance in the forestry and lumber industries, we will achieve both the expansion of employment and the preservation of the environment.

• So that farmers can feel secure about engaging in agriculture, we will establish an 窶彿ndividual (household) income support system窶 under which income support is disbursed directly to farmers. With this, we will supply safe domestically produced agricultural products and raise Japan窶冱 food self-sufficiency ratio.
• By having the 窶彿ndividual (household) income support system窶 take firm root, we will promote the revitalization and stability of regional communities and the preservation of the natural environment.
• We will require that all food products carry labels indicating the place of origin of their ingredients.
• We will expand support for self-reliance in the forestry and lumber industries, raise Japan窶冱 self-sufficiency ratio in lumber, and aim to create one million new jobs.