|
On August 11, a proposal for revision of the Okinawa Promotion Plan, drafted by the DPJ Okinawa Policy Project Team was approved by an expanded meeting of the Policy Research Committee executive. Following this, key members of the team held a press conference inside the Diet, and announced their suggested revisions for major items, including that relating to a proposal for lump sum subsidies for the development of Okinawa, which has already been submitted to the government.
Project Team Chair Atsushi Oshima explained that the team had carried out thorough discussions regarding the lump sum subsidies and other policies relating to the development of Okinawa since its establishment in May, including a visit to Okinawa itself. Furthermore, he explained that with the Okinawa Promotion and Development Special Measures Act due to expire at the end of this year, the government had announced its proposal for Okinawa development, and the proposal had been produced with the aim of setting forth the party stance on the main policy issues in conjunction with this.
Project Team Secretary General Junya Ogawa explained that discussions were undertaken taking the following points into consideration: (1) due to geographical and natural factors it may not necessarily be appropriate to apply the same policy measures to Okinawa as used in mainland Japan, (2) the per capita burden placed on Okinawa residents is a heavy one, (3) designation of Okinawa as a test case for advanced implementation of regional sovereignty reforms, and (4)positioning Okinawa as a gateway for integrating the striking economic growth of China, South-East Asia and other neighbouring regions into the Japanese economy. Ogawa added that the proposal included eight items such as shifting the majority of responsibility for deciding on the plan from central government to Okinawa, continuing special assistance such as that for aviation fuel tax, liquor tax, and gasoline tax, considering the introduction of a new corporate tax system, reforming the system of special zones, legislative revisions that support Okinawa’s public finances, and legislation encouraging the smooth return of US bases to Okinawa, and the productive use of former bases.
|
