I'm afraid I cannot understand what the prime minister is doing abroad. He has promised Japanese financial aid for developing countries, and it's important to help each other, but he needs to look at the way things are in Japan.

So many university and college students must leave school because of financial reasons — almost all of them students with private institutions. The reason is clear: Traditionally the government hasn't supported them as it should have.

Generally speaking, private university students pay three or four times more in the humanities/social science fields, and sometimes up to 10 times more for natural or medical science courses, than do students at public institutions.

I'm afraid that politicians historically have believed that government and public institutions should be the main recipients of tax support. Tax revenue must be shared with everyone! To the prime minister, I say, "Charity begins at home."

masayuki aihara
fukushima

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.