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On October 16, DPJ President Banri Kaieda took to the floor in the Diet, representing the DPJ caucus in the House of Representatives in questions regarding Prime Minister Abe's policy speech. He called for the government to employ a detailed response that closely reflects the needs of victims when dealing with the various natural disasters such as typhoons and tornadoes that have been occurring around the nation. Kaieda also urged Prime Minister Abe to do some serious soul-searching as to why the start of the Diet session had been delayed. He also raised the following issues and asked the Prime Minister to give a clear response: (1) the response to the nuclear accident (issue of contaminated water), (2) comprehensive reform of social security and tax, (3) economic policy, (4) economic partnerships and revitalization of agriculture, (5) foreign policy and national security, and
(6) the Constitution.
With regard to the issue of leaks of contaminated water at Fukushima No. 1., Kaieda said, "The fight to deal with the nuclear accident, and the process of decommissioning the reactors is still ongoing and it is a long and arduous path. Following the change of government, the responsibility for dealing with this issue has fallen to the Abe administration, but the DPJ will continue to provide as much cooperation as we possibly can." He also commented on the fact that remarks made by Prime Minister Abe to the International Olympic Committee stating that "the situation is under control" had been contradicted by a technical official at Tokyo Electric Power Co., who had said, "the situation cannot be said to be under control", and challenged the Prime Minister, "Are you still of the opinion that 'the situation is under control'?"
Kaieda then moved on to issues relating to the increase in the consumption tax, saying "The comprehensive reform of social security and tax has two main pillars. One is that the entire revenue obtained from consumption tax should be used for social security. The other is that of the 5% increase in the tax to be implemented from October 2015, 4% (in tax rate terms) should be used to stabilize the social security system which is currently being supported by borrowing, thereby reducing the issuance of government bonds and reducing the burden placed on future generations. The revenues obtained from the other 1% tax increase should be used to enhance the social security system, and realize social security for all generations." He expressed the concern that the proposed Abe reforms "were changing into a comprehensive reform of increasing consumption tax and decreasing corporation tax, leaving social security by the wayside". Kaieda also touched on the risk of "diverting consumption tax revenues for other than intended purposes", and stated regarding the content of the 5 trillion economic package proposed by the Prime Minister and the budget for the next fiscal year: "I am concerned that there will be nothing more than a whole bundle of unnecessary and non-urgent public works." He said he wanted to confirm whether the revenues from consumption tax would all be used for social security. The Prime Minister responded, "Apart from the 1% portion reserved for local consumption tax, all of the revenues from the 3% increase in the consumption tax which has been decided will be used as a source of revenue for social security."
Kaieda expressed concerns regarding the political stance taken by the Abe administration in proposing, as part of the economic package, to bring forward the abolition of the special reconstruction surtax on corporation tax, stating, "The special reconstruction surtax on corporation tax was introduced in conjunction with the special surtax on income tax paid by the public, in order that the reconstruction following the Great East Japan Earthquake could be accomplished by the nation as a whole. Simply reducing the tax burden of profit-making corporations offends against the spirit of communal ties and cooperation."
Next, Kaieda commented on the Abe administration's growth strategy, saying that it was nothing more than a rehash of the policy produced by the DPJ administration, and pointing out that what had been added were concerns over employment and widening inequalities caused by detrimental employment legislation revisions and increases in the cost of living unaccompanied by wage increases. In addition, he pointed out problems with "National Strategic Special Zones", stressing, "The DPJ will never approve 'Special Dismissal Zones" that will mass-produce corporations which treat their workers as disposable commodities." He further pointed out that the core part of wage increases lay in how to raise the salaries of those employed by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who accounted for 70% of total employment. He also stated that the DPJ would pursue the implementation of support measures suited to the circumstances faced by SMEs. These would respond to the anxieties felt by SMEs as to whether they would be able to pass on the consumption tax increase through a corresponding price rise.
While of course full measures to cope with this issue would be included, these would also encompass tax breaks to encourage investment by SMEs, including measures to deal with sudden increases in the price of raw materials, such as measures to prevent prices being beaten down, the promotion of tax breaks to encourage employment and reform of the social insurance system.
Kaieda also questioned the legislation regarding the protection of special secrets that is being considered by the government. He said that around 80% of the ninety thousand opinions received from the public in response to a government survey were opposed to this idea, citing various comments
including: "the scope defined by 'special secrets' is unclear", "I am concerned as to whether it will be possible to check legitimacy and appropriateness", "there is a risk of arbitrariness", "there is no specification for treatment of information after the special secrets provision is lifted", "I am concerned as to whether there is an appropriate system for evaluating people who will be responsible for such information", and "it's unclear what acts will be subject to punishment and what the scope will be." Kaieda stressed, "The DPJ has submitted a revision of the information disclosure act to the Diet, and actively engaged in the management of public documents, in order to enhance the public's 'right to know' and to promote open government. On the other hand, Prime Minister Abe shows little enthusiasm for information disclosure, and I have the suspicions that his thinking on this follows the outdated adage that the public 'should follow blindly and have no need to know'." He asked Abe for his opinion on the need to revise the information disclosure law and on the enhancement of the management of public documents.
At the end of his speech, Kaieda stated, "The DPJ will confront the Abe administration and the massed ranks of the ruling parties in order to ensure this country will not go off course."
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