JIP Pushes Secondary Capital Plan in Election Pledges

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Innovation Party on Wednesday released its pledges for the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, featuring plans to realize early passage of legislation to establish a secondary capital to curb Tokyo’s overconcentration. The JIP, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, listed Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo as candidate locations to set up a secondary capital in the country. The JIP traces its roots to Osaka Ishin no Kai, a regional political group, and has long advocated the so-called Osaka metropolitan plan for local government realignment. “We listed regions that have expressed interest in the secondary capital concept,” JIP policy chief Alex Saito told a news conference. The party also said it would accelerate discussions toward realizing a proposal by Prime Minister and LDP President Sanae Takaichi to scrap the consumption tax on food items for two years. In its pledges, the JIP positioned a 10 pct cut in the number of Lower House seats as a top political reform priority, seeking the swift enactment of necessary legislation. It also pledged to introduce a total ban on political donations by companies and organizations. On social security, the party said it aims to cut annual medical costs by more than 4 trillion yen and reduce annual social insurance premiums by 60,000 yen per working-age person. JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita said at the news conference that it is his party’s role to advance policies at a rapid pace. “We want to act as an accelerator for the administration,” he added. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]