New Coalition Government	No.651 September 22, 2009
		A new government has been formulated, led by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in coalition with two smaller parties. Though people express some concerns about the coalition, the new leadership is an outcome of the mounted anger which voters had against long reign of illegitimate politics. Now let’s analyze the DPJ’s policy. Will the coalition government respond right to people’s expectations? How will the administration manage to carry out policies? How should we do to find solutions to overcome difficulties and to develop joint movements to defend constitution? MOBILIZE MASS MOVEMENTS TO MAKE PEOPLE’S DEMANDS BE MATERIALIZED! The coalition government of the DPJ, Social-Democratic Party (SDP) and Kokumin-Shinto has many tasks to accomplish at the moment in compliance with the Political Agreement on Coalition Government. They include; revival of Mother-Child Allowance to those who live on Life Protection benefits, abolition of Healthcare Program exclusively applied to those over 75 years old and of Act to Assist Disabled Persons’ Independent Life. The three parties have agreed on overall prohibition of worker-dispatch practices, including those in which workers are sent on the registration basis or allocated in the manufacturing industries. They approve to enact a law, which will favor smaller firms, to regulate banks’ reluctance to lend and arrogance to back loans. Workers, elderly people and small-medium-sized business corporations acutely need these measures. The new government will commit in the issues of postal service, labor and environment as a mid-term task: freezing sales of postal shares possessed by the state, reviewing the plan to divide postal service into four businesses and rebuilding universal service across the nation, comprehensive application of employment insurance to all workers and a minimum wage hike, and decrease of greenhouse gas emission by 25%. Residents of Okinawa and peace activists demand revision of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and review of the US plans of military alignment and reorganization of US bases in Japan. People expect that the new administration will disclose relevant information on the alleged bilateral secret pact which allows US to bring nukes into the Japanese territory, though that is not pledged in the agreement. They expect an earliest settlement of Japan Railway Corporation’s labor dispute by which specific workers were excluded for new job opportunities, which Mr. Hatoyama Yukio pledged as the top leader of DPJ before becoming Premier. Contradictory Aspects of DPJ’s Policy All the above-mentioned tasks are not easy to achieve. The DPJ’s Manifesto declares commitment in the SOFA and the US military alignment program, but a description of involvement was barely made through the Social-Democratic Party pushed fiercely and persistently by the group of non-partisan, local assembly members of Okinawa. We must imagine how the US authorities will pressure on the new government. Demands of the SDP in the policy agreement include: transfer of the Futenma Air Station to a location outside the Okinawa Island, a description of ‘revision’ of SOFA, suspension of operating Council of Constitution Examination, discontinuation of fuel supply mission of the Self Defense Forces in the Indian Ocean and cancellation of the DPJ’s proposal to reduce proportional representation seats in the Lower House. But these were not approved. For the fuel supply service, the relevant special law will expire in January next year. The Council of Constitution Examination will face the period in May to implement the law of procedures to amend Constitution. The new government will have to cope with the problems soon. The US Department of Defense presses Japan to continue the refuel ling service and to relocate the Air Station inside the island, at the Henoko region. The Japanese industry circle and some big labor unions affiliated to the RENGO (=Japanese Trade Union Confederation) object or take a more cautious stance to revision of the Worker Dispatch Act. The DPJ pertains to another critical essence. The party insists ‘close and equal bilateral relationship in the Japan-US Alliance’, which means reliance on the Japan-US Security Treaty, or a military pact. The phrase ‘equal relationship’ hints us build-up of independent military capabilities, which Party Secretary Ozawa Ichiro has reiterated since long before. The DPJ’s Manifesto clearly advocates amendment of Constitution. Some governors are likely to promote the idea from a different angle of administrative restructuring instead of the existing prefecture units, including implementation of the Do-Shu New Province System. Voters want good politics. The DPJ, however, instead of rectifying the unfair taxation, is to reduce wastes in the state budget (a 20% reduction of wages of public workers and a decrease of parliamentary members). After serving for four years as a government, the consumption tax rate will be made higher. Mass Movements Are Crucial to Overcome Difficulties President Fukushima Mizuho of SDP says if the government is composed purely of DPJ it is risky. Naturally, inside the SDP, some are cautious and some are opponents in joining the coalition government. It is said the DPJ takes advantage of the SDP until the upcoming Upper House elections scheduled in 2010. Mass movements and public opinions are the last key to overcome difficulties. It is time to get united in mass movements to push the government from communities: don’t operate the Council of Constitution Examination, make basic changes in the Worker Dispatch Act, solve the problem of discharged workers of Japan Railway Corporations in an earliest time and stop immediately fuel supply mission in the Indian Ocean. Campaigns have begun. The New Socialist Party calls to the SDP to cooperate actively in enhancing and expanding united struggles to defend Constitution.