Japan Press Weekly

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2007 September 12 - 18 [POLITICS]

Let’s repel unjustifiable attack on democratically elected mayor

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

In Higashi Osaka City (Osaka Pref.) in which Nagao Junzo, who is a Japanese Communist Party member, was elected as the mayor in July last year, the opposition coalition of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties as well as a part of the Democratic Party on September 3 used their majority to forcibly pass a motion of no confidence in the mayor.

At a press conference on September 10, Nagao declared that he will run again for office in the upcoming mayoral election.

Mayor Nagao has carried out policies for the betterment of residents’ living conditions such as reducing or exempting nursing care insurance premiums and subsidizing medical expenses for infants, while cutting wasteful use of tax money that includes the construction of a city office building.

Nagao was first elected as mayor nine years ago, just after an LDP-Komei backed mayor was arrested because of involvement in corruption scandals. Last year, Nagao won reelection as a result that his election promise of implementing transparent and fair city policies received support from the mayoralty of residents.

In the past 11 months, the opposition parties voted in favor of almost all bills submitted by Mayor Nagao, including the FY 2007 draft budget. The media reported that there is no corruption scandal or major misadministration in the Nagao administration.

The opposition parties’ forcible passage of the no-confidence motion is simply motivated by their own party interests and is thus unjustifiable. Indeed, the LDP and Komei assembly members blamed Nagao by saying, “The mayor only listens to the JCP and is self-righteous,” but could not cite any compelling reason for the motion.

In principle, a motion of no-confidence in a mayor, who was directly elected by residents, needs to be treated especially prudently. The passage of such an unjustifiable motion amounts to a challenge to the popular will.

Taking advantage of the situation in which the governing JCP forms a minority in the city assembly, the opposition parties have harassed the mayor. Such maneuvers did not work, and the opposition parties had no other choice but to passing the motion.

It is important to repel the unjustifiable attack on the democratically elected progressive mayor with his reelection.