This Week’s “Nagata-cho” (11-18.Feb, 2014)

 On February 12-13, there were basic discussions on the initial budget
FY 2014 in the Lower House Budget Committee with all the ministers
including Prime Minister attended. Also on February 17, there was an
intensive deliberation on the social security, tax, education, etc.
The opposition Democratic Party of Japan, taking confrontational
tactics toward Abe administration, repeatedly gave questions
concerning interpretation of the Constitution with regard to
collective self-defense, Prime Minister Abe’s visit to Yasukuni
Shrine, diplomatic policy including relations with China and South
Korea, and other matters. On the other hand, while Prime Minister Abe
answered questions of Your Party and Japan Restoration Party, making
concessions as announcing themselves as “responsible oppositions,”
in a sound manner, Abe showed a sarcastic or challenging attitude
against DPJ.

*The state of deliberations in both Houses and committees are
 available from the following websites.
 House of Representatives　Internet TV：http://www.shugiintv.go.jp/en/index.php
 Live broadcasts and video recordings of the deliberations in the
 House of Councillors (Japanese only)：http://www.webtv.sangiin.go.jp/

 In a Committee meeting on February 17, with regard to regulatory
reforms that is one of the main pillars of growth strategy, announced
a strong decisiveness to break through the country’s vested interests
within coming two years as concentrative period.
 On Abe’s longstanding policy of corporate tax reduction, the
government’s panel on tax reform started discussions on February 13.
The Cabinet plans to entail policy of corporate tax reduction in the
Basic Guideline of Economic and Fiscal Policy to be compiled in June
this year. In that end, the government will likely launch a working
group to discuss corporate discussions and its financial backgrounds
in early-March.

 On the other hand, the seven opposition parties, including DPJ and
JRP, held a meeting on February 13 to discuss policies, where they
agreed to seek a joint proposition of counterproposal to the budget FY
2014.Also, they agreed to hold discussions on common policies in the
fields of “energy policy,” “administrative reform,” and “disaster management.”

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・