Japan Press Weekly
Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan
Google Our Site:

Japan Press Weekly www

DPJ was discussing policy coordination while submitting a censure motion against prime minister 

 

Politicians of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were having meetings outside of the Diet in quest of cooperation on policies on June 11, the day when the full House of Councilors was in session to discuss a censure motion against Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, which the DPJ and some other opposition parties introduced.

 

Public service employee system

 

One of the meetings that took place in a hotel near the Diet was at a symposium on the overhaul of the national public service employee system sponsored by the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) that included a panel of politicians, businesspeople and academics relating their visions for the 21st century.


The Basic Law to Reform the National Public Service Employee System was enacted after the DPJ decided to support it. The law is aimed at encouraging cozy and corrupting relations between government bureaucracy and business circles and changing the mission of government employees to one of serving the interests of the government, not the people.

 

At the symposium, administrative reform minister Watanabe Yoshimi thanked the DPJ for making the landmark legislation possible. He also said, gThe major task now is to prevent the law from being gutted.h

 

Former LDP secretary-general Nakagawa Naohide said, gThe enactment of the Basic Law is the threshold for the long-term process of administrative reform that will ultimately lead to the introduction of a federal system (do-shu system). Rifts between the ruling parties and opposition parties will only please anti-reform forces. It is important for the ruling and opposition parties to discuss and find a solution.h

 

DPJ Policy Chief Matsumoto Takeaki said, gWe will respond to the LDP-Komei government on an issue-by-issue basis.h

 

Security and military policy

 

At the same time, a group of younger Dietmembers calling for a gsecurity system for the new centuryh held its regular meeting in the Diet building. The group is meeting regularly to deepen membersf shared understanding of the need for permanent legislation enabling the government to send the Self-Defense Forces on overseas missions at any time. The meeting was attended by 16 Dietmembers from the LDP, the DPJ, Komei, and the Peoplefs New Party.

 

On the evening of the day, a group of Dietmembers from the LDP, Komei, and the DPJ, who are arms buildup advocates, had a meeting at a Japanese restaurant near the Diet building. The Council of Parliamentarians on Security Affairs had been less active following the revelation in autumn 2007 of its cozy relations with the military industry. The dayfs meeting was to help jump-start the groupfs activity.

 

While submitting a censure motion against the prime minister, the DPJ was seeking cooperation with the LDP in coordinating security and domestic policies. How can the DPJ explain these contradictory activities to the people?

- Akahata, June 12, 2008

 



Copyright (c) Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. All right reserved
info@japan-press.co.jp