DPJ is unable to show any difference from LDP

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

DPJ is unable to show any difference from LDP

The Democratic Party of Japan has made its "main policies of the DPJ" draft available to its prospective candidates for the House of Representatives in advance of the official release later this month of the "DPJ Manifesto".

The policy booklet tries to emphasize that DPJ policies are different from those of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komei Party coalition by putting forward policy proposals on various issues, including "payment of allowances for households with dependent children", "free senior high school education", "resolution of pension payments records", and "a system of income compensation for individual family farmers".

However, its main argument is that "the LDP cannot make a major change in budget distribution because it has long been in power enjoying a relationship of collusion with the government bureaucracy as well as special interest groups." Breaking away from excess bureaucracy is the DPJ's main focus.

The DPJ does not put forward any new key policy for ending the LDP's policies serving the interests of financial circles and large corporations.

On the issue of employment, the DPJ calls for the creation of a system to assist job seekers but does not give any clear direction regarding how the problem of mass layoffs of temporary workers should be resolved and how the Worker Dispatch Law should be revised in the interest of workers.

The "main points" include nothing about Japan's security and foreign policies.

However, DPJ President Hatoyama Yukio is always stressing the need to take into account the importance of recognizing the position of the United States.

For example, in the last extraordinary session of the Diet, he opposed the Maritime Self-Defense Force's participation in the refueling operation in the Indian Ocean under the new anti-terrorism special measures law, but he stated on July 17 that it would be "reckless to end the current mission immediately."

He went on to say, "We should consider how Japan can play its role while developing relations of confidence based on trust with the Obama administration.

Regarding the issue of a Japan-U.S. secret agreement on the introduction of nuclear weapons, Hatoyama is suggesting that the Three Non-Nuclear Principles (not to possess, manufacture, or allow the entry of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory) may be amended to remove the ban on the bringing of nuclear weapons into Japan.

There are some differences of opinion among DPJ politicians in regard to these issues.

- Akahata, July 19, 2009