Demand Activities at PM Office on 03FY Supp. Budget/04 FY Budget Comp.
(1 Aug 2003)
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| Photo: Vice President Takagi (right) hands a demand statement to Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda (left), July 29, PM Official Residence. | Photo: Vice President Tsumaki (left) hands a demand statement to HLM Minister Sakaguchi (right), July 31, HLM Ministry. |
RENGO focused on the following FY 2004 budget compilation issues: (1) drastically strengthen job measures and reduce unemployment, (2) fortify the social security system base and reform the system to guarantee the security of the people, (3) do not raise individual income taxes. Create a rent/mortgage interest tax deduction allowance to reduce people’s burden and thereby resolve deflation and revive the economy. (4) Legislate the “Part-Time/Fixed-Term Labor Law” and the “Labor Contract Law” (tent). In attendance were Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda and Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi from the government side, and Vice President Takagi and General Secretary Kusano attending from the RENGO side.
From the beginning of the demand activity conducted at the Official Residence of the Prime Minister on July 29, Vice President Takagi handed a demand statement to Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda and stated that “the thick-boned policy of the FY 2003 is part of a fiscal reconstruction model. We recognize the necessity of fiscal reconstruction but also we want the government to shift its stance to one that is more conscious of lifestyles/jobs.” He continued his appeal by saying, “with regard to FY 2004 budget, we would like the government to implement fortification of jobs and the social security base, and especially compile a budget aimed at pensions, medical care, and the stimulation of personal consumption.” Seeking a better understanding of RENGO’s stance on the issue of pension reform, General Secretary Kusano stated that “the pension problem is the biggest theme facing us this fiscal year. How we will rebuild trust in the social security system is the most important issue.”
Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda responded to this by saying “(I) understand your point very well. With regard to the employment problem, we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel at this time. The government is interested in steadily implementing employment measures included in this fiscal year’s budget in order to improve the situation even more.” However, he continued to say, “We would like you to understand that our initial premise is to focus on structural reform without expanding the budget.” He clearly stated that the government would continue with its policy of financial reconstruction and structural reform.
RENGO Vice President Takagi responded by saying, “you mentioned that you saw a bright spot, but our sense is that the terrible job situation for small to mid-sized businesses will in fact continue. Looking at the employment situation we can see that it is continuing to deteriorate. With 4 million part-time freelancers active in the work force, it is our hope that the government will send a clear message to employers to more reasonably respond to job issues and actively recruit giving full and due consideration to the total number of jobs.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda responded to this by saying, “We will have the Health, Labour and Welfare Minister look into this. If businesses were to down-size simultaneously the results would be catastrophic. We will take a uniformed response to the situation.”
On July 31 RENGO Vice President Tsumaki, General Secretary Kusano and others visited the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to conduct a similar demand activity. At the meeting Minister Sakaguchi said “We want to enforce effective priority measures in order to bring the unemployment rate down to the 4% level for the time being. The issues of working patterns and a decline in the number of children will have a definite influence on our future economy. We are aware of the importance of guidelines for part-time workers as well as the social security problems.” He continued, “We would like employers also to consider what they must do in the long run, this is especially needful with regard to the area of women’s working patterns. We will actively participate in discussions.” Touching on pension system reform, he mentioned that “next year will finally be the pension Diet. We would like your various words of advice.”
The series of demand activities were conducted according to the following schedule.
| July 14: | Ministry of the Environment Minister Shunichi Suzuki |
| July 18: | Cabinet Office Atomic Energy Commission/Nuclear Safety Commission Secretary
General Motohide Konaka Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Vice Minister Kaoru Kanazawa Supreme Court of Japan Secretary General Hironobu Takesaki |
| July 22: | Ministry of Finance Tax Bureau Director General Ken-ichiro Otake |
| July 23: | Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Atsuko
Toyama. Cabinet Office Vice Minister Eiji Kawade Cabinet Office Gender Equality Bureau Director General Mariko Bando |
| July 29: | Prime Minister Official Residence Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Vice Minister Seiji Murata Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vice Minister Yukio Takeuchi |
| July 30: | Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Keiichi Tadaki Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Vice Minister Noriyuki Kazaoka |
| July 31: | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi |
| August 1: | Ministry of Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa Financial Services Agency Commissioner Shokichi Takagi |
| August 8: | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei. |
