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On January 15 and 16, RENGO held a
conference with members from affiliated organizations and local
RENGO in charge of policy making at a hotel in Urayasu, Chiba.
On the first day of the conference, approximately 150 participants
attended a plenary session on the themes of "Urgent Activities
for Policy Issues" and "Main Ideas and Points of Demands
and Proposals" after which they vigorously exchanged opinions
in three separate meetings. On the second day, participants attending
the "Thoughts on Financial Structure Reform" symposium
learned which direction our innovations should be headed in.
At the January 16 symposium,
Senshu University Professor Kimihiro Masamura, Tokyo University
Professor Naohiko Jinno, and Democratic Party of Japan Planning
Committee Chair, Yoshito Sengoku were invited to sit in on a
panel discussion with the theme of "what is finance's problem?
What is the real financial structure reform?"
Professor Masamura suggested the following is necessary for financial
structure reform; (1) taking emergency financial measures, (2)
looking back in retrospect to identify the causes, (3) thinking
about the future keeping in mind both domestic and international
conditions.
Professor Jinno stressed
that "first of all, it is definitely necessary to clarify
the purpose of reform. Conduct reforms that citizens can decide
for themselves for their own necessary public services."
House Representative Sengoku expressed his point of view that
"we need bold reform including passing tax revenue sources
from the government to local governments letting them exercise
public services. Further, we must rid ourselves of a notion that
'economic recovery = public works projects'."
Several opinions were presented from the floor including the
following, "if necessary, citizens will accept it even though
it is painful. (We want) the government to adopt a long-term
point of view." "Conduct reform with a clear awareness
of the decreasing population."
Finally, in an approach toward reform, Professor Masamura stressed
that "financial reconstruction without tax increases is
wrong." He appealed to the participants saying, "if
safety is attainable in one's life-time that is real fairness.
You should not judge the situation by money distribution. We
must think about comprehensive rationality and fairness for tax
collection and how to use them. Let us study this further and
have more discussion." |
