My opinion of this week(572):
Check off system of medical insurance fee for old-old
Check off system of medical insurance fee for old-old people will
start from April 15th. Once this system starts, insurance fee of
old-old group of people will be checked off from their pensiion
every months. All oposision parties are submitting a bill to freeze
this checkoff system in this diet session at the Upper House. I
personally agree with the bill and hope that such system will be
abolished in the future after a lot more discussion at the diet.
When it comes to check-off system from pension, check-off of premium for
nursing care insurance started in autumn 2000. Government introduced this
system regardless a big opposition from old people at that time. A lot
of people including especially old people still have serious concerns
about this system. Two insurance fees are now going to be deducted from
their pension.
This action is especially a big blow for old-old people whose pension
is generally limitted . In some cases, reduction itself is not poissible
for the pension itself is too small. Such system of bill was decided at
the time when two ruling parties, i.e. Liberal Democratic Party and Komei
Party shared major seats both at Upper and Lower House. The opposition
fronts had no power to make any resistance against the introduction of
such evil law at that time. But since the victory of DPJ (Democratic Party
of Japan) at the last Upper House election in July last summer, opposition
parties have been able to take various actions to ammend such evil laws.
The major concern at the diet session at Upper House at this moment is
whether or not temporary high tax rate for gosoline will be continued
another ten years. The temporary tax rate has been expired as of April
1 and gosoline prices have been reduced very much all over Japan since
then. Ruling fronts are trying to resume this temporary tax by 2/3 of vote
at Lower House at the end of April. Ruling fronts may be able to do it
or may not be. It's a bid political concern at this time.
But the problem of pension system and this check off system of medical
insurance premium is another or may probably become bigger and major
concern not only for old people but all people of Japan as I see it.
Check-off system of insurance premium is very symbolic issue in the total
pension, medical insurance,and other social insurance scheme. Premium of
such insurance must be collected in some way at any rate. You ask what
wrong with it? It's very good and efficient system isn't it?
Check off from salary and pension has been done very easily in this country.
It is very good, efficient system from the point of minicipal offices and
from the nation. It has worked perfectly from point of collecting money from
people.
But it seems the system now need to be reconsidered from people's point of
view who pay their taxes and insurance premiums for various public services
and walfare system of their own. Tremendous amount of money collected as
taxes or as insurance premiums have been abused by central government and
local prefectures or minicipal offices. We have oboserved a lot of such
abuse of money in recent years.
It is now the time to review total social insurance system including pension
plans and various medical care and insurance system in this country. Check off
system of medical insurance for old-old people which is now question at the
Upper House is just one of such cases. Overall review of such total welfare
scheme will start from now in the possible change of power in coming general
election which should be done as soon as possible as I desire very eagerly.
2008/4/5
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(573):
Ozawa won over Fukuda in Diet debate
Wednesday's one-on-one Diet debate between Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa was much better
than the last one done in January. Both men spoke eloquently and with
conviction of their own. But time was a little bit short. There should be
another 30 minutes or so to get more fruits of discussion. We expect such
debate session will be set more often during this diet session. This is a
good summary of what's going on at the diet and Japanese politics at the
present time.
Many mass media wrote in their editorial that the debate was very good
and lively. Many stressed the point that Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda was
very active criticizing Ichiro Ozawa with his political stance and DPJ's
indecisive attitude about recent diet proceedings. Asahi Newspaper, for
instance, put the news at the headline on Thursday morning issue. The
headline referred Fukuda's word used in the debate.
Fukuda said in the debate that Ozawa and his party are abusing the power
at the Upper House where they have majority vote since the election of
last summer. Many important bills were not been passed at the diet. The
appointment of new Bank of Japan governor and vice governors was rejected
four time so far by opposition parties. The temporary gasoline tax rate
expired at the end of March which is a big blow for ruling parties and
Fukuda Cabinet. Fukuda accused Ozawa that those irregular happenings were
due to the abuse of power by DPJ.
Although Ozawa did not responded much about it, Fukuda's assertion is
obviously wrong. Fukuda seems not to understand the meaning of power.
It is Prime Minister Fukuda, himself, who has the power. It is not Ozawa
or DPJ that are in the power position. DPJ and opposition parties have now
majority vote at Upper House. But it is still Fukuda and his government
that are in power. I just don't understand what Fukuda is talking about
when he says that DPJ is abusing power at the diet? And I don't understand
the intension of Asahi Newspaper that referred such word at the headline
of their article.
It is 100% Fukuda's responsibility how to handle the lack of majority votes
at the Upper House. But it seems that he still underestimate the the fact
that ruling parties do not have full power any more at diet proceedings.
It is quite natural that opposition parties do not agree with many of
bills provided by ruling parties. It is 100% wrong that Fukuda accuses
Ozawa and opposition parities' opposition on many matters such as
appointment of executives of Bank of Japan and extension of temporary
gasoline tax rate for another ten years.
The problem is that many mass media seems to give some sympathy or
agreement about such assertion by Fukuda. Many mass media including Asahi
Newspaper denounced DPJ that they rejected government proposal on Bank
of Japan executives four times so far.
On the appointment of the BOJ governor, Fukuda asserted that if the right
candidate is picked for the post, it shouldn't matter whether that person is
a former bureaucrat. Ozawa objected, saying what is problematical is the
establishment of vested interest by always placing a former Finance Ministry
bureaucrat in either the post of central bank governor or vice governor.
The principle is to change such long established Japanese political system
itself. I believe what Ozawa said is quite reasonable in many ways.
As to gasoline tax, Fukuda insisted that if annual tax revenues drop by 2.6
trillion yen as a result of the expiration of the higher temporary tax rate,
local governments will run into trouble and the situation would negatively
impact the government's plans for financial reconstruction. Ozawa responded
that funds can be secured by advancing decentralization and eliminating
wasteful and redundant administrative spending.
It is not the just the matter of shortage of fund in the short run but it is
concerned with the basic change of political system in this country. I also
agree with this assertion mentioned by Ozawa. It is very important issue
in many political topics at the moment.
I don't understand why many mass media including Asahi Newspaper put more
emphasis on what Ozawa said and his views on long range views about country
and their political system. They should appreciate more about Ozawa's
approach to mention long range total view about the nation rather than
Fukuda' short range political issue such as appointment of executives of
Bank of Japan and expiration of gasoline tax.
I am not saying that Ozawa's views is right in every sense. No, I am not.
I am saying that in such debate by two top leaders of countries, they should
talk lots more about their long range philosophies and views about how they
lead this country to be more successful in the long run.
From this point of views, I judge Oaxaca talked more about such view and
Fukuda talked none at all. He just accused the leader of opposition party
and just showed his incapability how he could execute the power which
he has now to proceed the present politics for the welfare of the nation.
He cannot do it for he has no definite philosophies and long range view as
to how he can lead this country to better position from the chaos at this
moment.
2008/4/12
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(574):
Logic of logistics
The high court Thursday said Japan's dispatch of Air Self-Defense Force
personnel to Iraq was unconstitutional. "Because Baghdad is a combat zone,
the ASDF's transportation mission includes activities that breach the special
law to allow the SDF to provide humanitarian support for Iraq's reconstruction
efforts, which limits their activities to noncombat zones, and Article 9 of
the Constitution," presiding Judge Kunio Aoyama said.
But the court dismissed the lawsuit itself, saying that the plaintiffs' demand
that the constitutionality of the SDF dispatch to Iraq be judged does not meet
the legal requirements of a civil lawsuit.
It is the first court ruling to find the dispatch unconstitutional. Similar
lawsuits have been filed at 11 district courts around the country.
The purpose of plaintiffs to appeal the case is not to get compensation but to
appeal the dispatch of ASDF to Iraq is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs said
they would not appeal the ruling, meaning that the decision will be finalized
as the state may not appeal because it won the case.
As already expected, the ruling and opposition blocs expressed divided
opinions over the court ruling Thursday. "The ruling won't affect SDF
activities in Iraq," Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the then General Secretary
of Koizumi Cabinet said and new Komeito leader Akihiro Ota said he found
the ruling "a bit odd." The then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was the top
leader who conducted this ASDF mission regardless the strong opposition from
opposition fronts.
Democratic Party of Japan Acting President Naoto Kan gave high praise to
the ruling. "The ruling was handed down based on the same ground that we
argued from at that time," Kan said, referring to the party's argument in
2003, when the special law was passed at the Diet.
I personally believed that the view of opposition bloc was quite right and
the logics which Prime Minister Koizumi and all other ruling blocs were
obviously wrong. War between US and multinational forces really existed in
Iraq and ASDF's mission in Iraq was to transport US soldiers or some other
materials such as food and other supplies which are necessary to support US
armies operating in Iraq. Those activities are referred to as logistics
which are obviously defined and included as war operation in any respects.
There was no logics at all for the explanation of ruling blocs.
Although it is only a high court ruling, the judgment at the court at this
time on this issue will provide a big affects on political debate on this
issue of constitution between ruling blocs and opposition blocs in coming
general election. The ruling will provide a big minus effect for ruling
front when they try to extend the new oil supply law which they pass the
law by 2/3 votes at the Lower House early this year.
There should be more serious and logical debate from now on in any defense
issue including necessary amendment of Article 9 of constitution.
2008/4/19
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(575):
Serious global food shortage and Japan
In order to alleviate the global food shortage and political unrest in
developing countries, Japan will provide more than $100 million (10 billion
yen) in emergency aid in along with US and several EU countries, source said.
UN started to handle this issue as their top priority issues. It is said that
the summit meeting in July will bring up this issue together with the
reduction of CO2 gas to stop global heating.
The food shortage is , of course, very closely concerned with this
environment problem and it is fine that the issue will also discussed at
summit in July. But I wonder how Prime Minister Fukuda, the chair person of
the summit at this time will be able to take initiative on global food
shortage problem. Japan is surely able to take some initiative on global
heating and environmental issues as they showed one in Kyoto Protocol 1997.
But how can Japan approach to global food shortage issue in summit meeting ?
How can Prime Minister start bringing up this agenda as a representative of
Japan?
As a matter of fact, Japan is the country the food self-sufficiency of which
is only 39%, the lowest among summit member countries. The food self-
sufficiency of most summit member countries except Japan is almost 100% in
general. How will Prime Minister Fukuda present this agenda at summit meeting
as a chair person?
For examples, is he going to say this way?: "Japan is in the same position as
other developing countries as far as this issue is concerned. Please help us
in that respect."
For such country as Japan, global food shortage problem is strictly domestic
problem to be solved as internal political practice. The other developed
countries such as France and UK had taken all necessary actions to make
self-sufficiency rate to 100% many years ago when world faced the same kind
of crop shortage situation. Japan missed the chance to take necessary step to
improve the food self-sufficiency. The government made a serious mistake to
improve the rate by taking wrong agricultural policies .
Today, Japanese agriculture itself is at stake. Farmers in local area are in
serious position to continue agriculture as their life works. The issue is
discussed in the term of income disparity of local area and city area but it
is not. It is the issue of crisis of agriculture in this country.
It was Democratic Party of Japan that brought up this serious issue as a part
of points of dispute in the last Upper House election last summer while ruling
Liberal Democratic Party of Japan showed only a little interest and tried to
neglect the assertion of DPJ on agricultural problems.
DPJ insisted in their manifesto saying the importance to improve food self-
sufficiency rate in the long run in order for this country in the international
communities in along with five other main themes to be attained such as pension
and education. They insisted to introduce income indemnity system for all
people in agriculture so that they can continue agriculture of their own as
their life work in the severe competition in the market. This proposal was
almost laughed off by ruling fronts and many critics in mass media. The idea
was said to be just a waste of money, waste of taxes. But I don't think so.
Whether it is to be income indemnity system or not, I think it is now the time
to consider to take some fundamental measures to improve food self-sufficiency
rate as soon as possible. Fukuda Cabinet and ruling parties are not showing any
fundamental policies to improve food self-sufficiency rate in this country.
The main political issues in the Lower House election at Yamaguchi are
concentrated around temporary tax of gasoline and new medical insurance system
for aged people over 75 but global food shortage issue will become more
serious issues to be argued in coming Lower House election expected
sooner or later in next three months or so.
2008/4/26
Tadashi HAYASE
English Home Page
Japanese Home Page