To members of the ruling coalition,
By the time you read this, ¥12,600 should have appeared in my bank account. While I am pleased to have received this money, I would like you to know that I have used it to pay my residential tax. Considering the myriad social problems currently facing Japan, this was a poor use of taxpayer money, not unlike some of the other ideas — like unchecked subsidizing of education or waived fees — being tossed around by the various parties as they try to appeal to the public.
Instead of throwing taxpayer money around haphazardly, I would like the government to consider implementing a two-year compulsory national service plan. The plan I propose would require individuals — both male and female, between the ages of 18 and 25 — to perform service-orientated jobs in fields including agriculture, child care, disaster relief, education, environmental preservation and health care. The two years of service would have to be carried out prior to entering the workforce, but could be done prior, during or following enrollment in higher education.