Japan Press Weekly

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2009 September 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

Need a government without fear to business leaders and the U.S.

“The National Strategy Bureau is not in operation yet. So I think we should refrain from commenting on it in detail. In general terms, structure is an important aspect, but the real question is whether such a bureau will try to meet the needs of the public.

At present the LDP-Komei coalition government has about 70 politicians who are in charge of government administration. We do not know whether the National Strategy Bureau staffed by about 100 people will do a good job.

Mr. Takagi (Yosuke of the Komei Party) said political leadership was exercised in decision-making even though the government Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, for example, had business leaders as its members. However, government councils like this have been much influenced by representatives of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) and pro-government academics.

The annual ‘U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform Report’ is another big problem because it represents the U.S. position of treating Japan as a dependent country. Japan’s postal privatization was discussed at the talks between U.S. President George Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Jun’ichiro. Japan should abandon such decision-making practices and become independent in dealing with any issues.”

That is how the government of Japan should be able to relate to the business circles as well as to the United States. - Akahata, September 8, 2009