DPJ in its convention fails to present basic framework in opposition to LDP: Ichida

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DPJ in its convention fails to present basic framework in opposition to LDP: Ichida

The Democratic Party of Japan held its convention on January 15 and 16 in Tokyo to adopt a 2007 action program and basic policies.

Concerning points at issue in the upcoming Upper House election, DPJ President Ozawa Ichiro said the party will focus on the growing gaps in society to counter the Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo who has declared that he will work for a revision of the Constitution as his main campaign promise.

Commenting on the DPJ posture, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on January 16 said, "The DPJ completely fails to establish a framework in opposition to the LDP that strongly calls for the constitutional revision. He (Ozawa) says that the DPJ will focus on other matters, presumably because they want to avoid discussing the Constitution."

He went on to say, "The DPJ says they will bring up the issue of the growing social gaps in the election campaign. However, the growing social gaps have been brought about by the structural reform policies based on the 'market-cure-all' ideology, and the DPJ has promoted these policies along with the LDP."

Ichida also said, "Even in dealing with 'other matters,' the DPJ doesn't have a policy framework to confront the LDP. Concerning the basic questions of national politics above all, including that of the Constitution, it's impossible to say which party is better. The JCP in its 3rd Central Committee Plenum stated that the DPJ became 'just another conservative party' through its merger with the Liberal Party in 2003. The DPJ convention has shown that our analysis was accurate."
- Akahata, January 17, 2007