|
On February 25, DPJ Acting Secretary General Shinji Tarutoko gave a speech on the integrated reform of the social security and taxation systems at a forum in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. He stressed that thorough-going political and administrative reform would take place before the consumption tax was raised. DPJ member of the House of Councillors Motoyuki Odachi also participated in the meeting, explaining in detail why reform was necessary and calling for public understanding.
Tarutoko emphasized, “Within the party, we are agreed that raising the consumption tax should take place after we have done what is necessary [in terms of political and administrative reform].” He said that legislation to reduce the salaries of national civil servants looked likely to be enacted by the Diet by the end of the month, and expressed the opinion that once this had been achieved, it would be necessary to cut allowances for Diet members and salaries of Diet members’ secretaries, stressing his resolve to “go for broke” in carrying out reform.
Tarutoko also referred to the issue of correcting the disparity in the value of one vote in general elections for the House of Representatives. The deadline for the council deliberating this issue in the House of Representatives to issue recommendations regarding this matter had been reached on February 25. Tarutoko expressed his regrets regarding the unconstitutional state of affairs, and said that he would like to correct this situation as speedily as possible. He also commented on the reduction in the number of Diet members, which is being discussed simultaneously, stressing: “We will not retract our proposal to reduce the number of Diet members by 80 seats. I intend to make every effort to find out how we can realise it.”
In addition, Tarutoko said that in the proposed reform to the social security system, consumption tax would be used to fund not just the three expenses related primarily to seniors, of pensions, medical care and nursing care, but also to support child rearing. He pointed out that of the approximately 90 trillion yen general account budget for the nation, 26.4 trillion yen is social security-related funds, and stressed his theory that stabilizing the financial resources for such expenditure would enable Japan to rebuild her national finances, saying that raising the consumption tax was necessary in this respect.
|
