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Sep 30 08:21 AM US/Eastern
(AP) - TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso may decide to delay the date of a general election from Nov. 2 as previously expected as he is likely to carefully assess the economic situation amid the global financial turmoil, political sources said Tuesday.
Aso, who is seeking the passage of the fiscal 2008 supplementary budget next week to implement comprehensive economic measures, told reporters Tuesday that he would also like to deal with a number of bills, including on the extension of Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, before dissolving the House of Representatives for a general election.
"It is a matter of course to work out the issues we face" such as setting up a consumer affairs agency and extension of the refueling mission, Aso said, responding to a question on the schedule for a possible dissolution of the lower house.
Aso's remark suggests that the election could be delayed, although some lawmakers in the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party have been calling for the lower house to be dissolved immediately after the supplementary budget is enacted.
Lawmakers from the ruling parties were widely believed to be making arrangements for a general election on Nov. 2.
Earlier in the day, Aso met Fujio Mitarai, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, at the prime minister's office and told him that he would consider implementing additional economic measures after the supplementary budget is enacted.
When asked by reporters at a news conference if the conditions for a dissolution of the Diet would be met once the budget is enacted, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said the prime minister will make a final decision after carefully taking into account various opinions.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, the LDP's secretary general, suggested the possibility that the general election could take place later than Nov. 2, telling a press conference, "The prime minister will not accept a situation in which there are no lawmakers in the Diet following dissolution (of the lower house) and they are engaged in election campaigning."
"We need to do the utmost to resolve the (financial) turmoil immediately," he added.
The schedule for parliamentary deliberations on the supplementary budget will be discussed by the board of the lower house's budget committee on Wednesday.
The ruling parties plan to seek cooperation from the opposition camp so that a vote on the supplementary budget can take place after two days of deliberations at the most.
But the opposition camp, which has proposed to the ruling parties that two days of deliberations be held in both the lower and upper houses, is set to seek a thorough debate, saying that the proposal was made on the premise that the lower house would be dissolved immediately after a vote.
"If (the dissolution) is to be postponed for a considerable period, we cannot accept it," a member engaged in Diet affairs from the opposition Democratic Party of Japan said.
On Monday, the government submitted the bills for the extension of the refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations and for setting up a consumer affairs agency.
Global financial turmoil has worsened since the U.S. Congress on Monday unexpectedly rejected the U.S. administration's financial bailout package aimed at stabilizing the financial sector.
The ongoing extraordinary Diet session convened last Wednesday and will run until Nov. 30.
Sep 30 08:02 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 30 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone showed willingness Tuesday to consider alternative plans, including new activities involving the Self-Defense Forces, in case a bill to extend the current antiterrorism support mission in the Indian Ocean fails to clear parliament.
"Of course the top priority for us is to get this bill passed. But if there are other things we can do, of course we should consider them too," Nakasone, who was appointed to his post last Wednesday in Prime Minister Taro Aso's new Cabinet, said in an interview with Kyodo News and other Japanese media.
"In fighting terrorism, it would be rather difficult to have the private sector do it alone," he said, indicating that alternative plans will likely include new missions for the SDF.
While underscoring the government's belief that the current deployment for refueling allied vessels in the U.S.-led operations in and around Afghanistan should be continued, Nakasone acknowledged that political tensions in parliament are a hurdle for passing the bill for extension beyond the mission's January expiration.
"For us, we don't know when there will be a (general) election. It's true the schedule is very tight," said Nakasone.
"Through debate in the parliament, we hope to engage in sincere discussions with the opposition camp on the importance of this (extension) and to gain the public's understanding by explaining that the mission is also in the interest of the Japanese people's daily lives," he added, citing the example that over 90 percent of Japan's fuel oil comes from the Middle East region.
Earlier Tuesday, Nakasone acknowledged in a news conference that the ruling camp is facing difficulty in securing passage of the bill in the current parliament session to extend the temporary law for a year until January 2010.
Asked about Aso's recent remarks that hinted at considering changing the government's interpretation of the pacifist Constitution to allow its forces to exercise the right to collective self-defense, Nakasone affirmed in the interview that the current interpretation remains unchanged.
However, Nakasone expressed support for the idea that Japan should "engage in thorough discussion" on whether the current interpretation is adequate at a time when the global security environment has changed significantly over the course of postwar Japan, such as the SDF's participation in peacekeeping operations and joint exercises with foreign militaries.
Nakasone is son of former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who was known for his nationalistic views and his close relationship with former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
On North Korea, Nakasone reiterated that Japan will continue to press for Pyongyang to launch an agreed-on reinvestigation into abductions of Japanese and expressed hope that an upcoming visit to Pyongyang by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill would move forward the stalled six-party process on denuclearizing the North.
He also said the Aso administration adheres to the stance that "Japan will normalize ties with the North after pending issues are resolved comprehensively and the unfortunate past (wartime history) settled."
The opposition camp, which holds the majority in the House of Councillors, has said it is against extension of the Indian Ocean mission and threatens to vote down the bill in the upper house.
The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party currently has a two-thirds majority in the powerful House of Representatives and it allows them to hold a revote in the lower house to override the upper house in the case of a rejection.
The ruling parties resorted to a revote in January this year to resume the mission, which had terminated earlier amid political wrangling.
But prospects for passing the bill remain unclear amid speculation that a snap election will be called and the ruling coalition may lose seats.
Dispatch of the SDF overseas is controversial in Japan largely due to the country's pacifist Constitution. Public opinion is also split over whether costly fuel should be given free of charge to foreign nations for the mission even in the name of international contribution.
Sep 30 06:11 AM US/Eastern
(AP) - TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday he would like to deal with bills to extend Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and to establish a consumer affairs agency -- even after an extra budget passes parliament, possibly next week -- before dissolving the House of Representatives for a general election.
"I think no one, at least on the government side, has talked about the timing of a dissolution," Aso said. "It's a matter of course to work on such matters" before going into the timing for a general election, Aso told reporters.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister instructed Tadamori Oshima, the Diet affairs committee chief of Aso's Liberal Democratic Party, to launch parliamentary deliberations on the fiscal 2008 supplementary budget to implement comprehensive economic measures, given the financial turmoil in the wake of the rejection by the U.S. Congress of a financial bailout package.
The instruction has stirred expectations among lawmakers in the ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party that the general election, expected by many for Nov. 2, will be delayed in order to avoid a political vacuum amid mounting global financial concern.
But the prime minister's pledge to deal with pressing issues raised the possibility that the next general election could be delayed even further.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, the LDP's secretary general, suggested the possibility that the general election could take place later than Nov. 2, telling a press conference, "The prime minister will not accept a situation in which there are no lawmakers in the Diet following dissolution (of the lower house) and they are engaged in election campaigning."
"We need to do the utmost to resolve the (financial) turmoil immediately," he added.
While there were strong calls in the ruling coalition for the prime minister to dissolve the lower house on Oct. 3 immediately after a question-and-answer session in the Diet, Oshima said, "It is necessary to do what we have to do before discussing the lower house dissolution."
On Monday, the government submitted the bills for the extension of the refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations and for setting up a consumer affairs agency.
The ongoing extraordinary Diet session convened last Wednesday and will run until Nov. 30.
Sep 30 04:52 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 30 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The Maritime Self-Defense Force will downsize its annual sea drill in fiscal 2008 to a third of the usual scale to save on fuel costs, MSDF chief Adm. Keiji Akahoshi said Tuesday.
The Defense Ministry's Maritime Staff Office said it is believed that such a large-scale downsizing of the exercises will be the first since Japan was faced with a serious energy shortage in the early 1970s.
Akahoshi, head of the MSO, previously suggested that soaring fuel prices could force the MSDF to suspend the exercises involving nearly 100 vessels and more than 150 airplanes for the first time since the force began the annual drill in 1954.
But MSO officers said the MSDF has judged that it is necessary to conduct a drill even on a minimum scale to maintain the force's capabilities. This year's drill is planned for November, ministry sources said.
The exercises will include a joint drill involving the MSDF and the U.S. Navy's Carrier Strike Group 5 centering on the aircraft carrier George Washington and the planned reduction in the scale of the sea drill is unlikely to affect the Japan-U.S. exercise, the sources said.
The Defense Ministry was allocated a total of around 101 billion yen for fuel purchases in the initial budget for fiscal 2008 and about 47 billion yen was earmarked for the MSDF, the largest fuel consumer in the Self-Defense Forces.
The MSO officers said the MSDF is trying to save fuel by conducting drills in waters closer to the coast and using only one of two propellers on MSDF ships while sailing.
The George Washington was deployed to Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, last week as the first nuclear-powered U.S. carrier to use a Japanese city as its home port.
Sep 30 03:44 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 30 (AP) - (Kyodo) — New Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada voiced his hope Tuesday that the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan would change its policy and support the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean if the ruling bloc defeats it at the next general election.
"We have expectations that some in the DPJ would reconsider the matter of the activities in the Indian Ocean and join our bid" to extend the antiterrorism refueling mission, Hamada told reporters in his first interview since taking office last week.
Hamada denied the government could consider taking alternative measures to help U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan in place of the ongoing refueling mission by the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
"At this point, that is not going to happen given that a bill to extend the mission has been already endorsed by the Cabinet," he said.
Hamada was referring to the endorsement of a bill by the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Sept. 19 to extend the temporary law authorizing the MSDF mission beyond its expiration on Jan. 15, 2009.
Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet presented the bill to parliament Monday but it is not certain whether it can clear the Diet before the Jan. 15 deadline as some are speculating that Aso may call a House of Representatives election later this year.
The DPJ-led opposition bloc dominates the House of Councillors and is opposed to the refueling mission.
Hayashi reiterated that the Defense Ministry will deal with the stalled project of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture by "listening to people in Okinawa," but declined to elaborate.
The Futemma relocation by 2014 is a key item of a Japan-U.S. agreement in 2006 on the realignment of U.S. military facilities in Japan. But the project has made little progress due to differences between the central and Okinawa governments over details.
Sep 30 12:51 AM US/Eastern
(AP) - TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday instructed Tadamori Oshima, the diet affairs committee chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to launch parliamentary deliberations on the fiscal 2008 supplementary budget to implement comprehensive economic measures, given the financial turmoil in the wake of the U.S. Congress's rejection of the financial bailout package.
The move has stirred expectations among lawmakers in the ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party that the next general election, expected for Nov. 2, will be delayed in order to avoid a political vacuum amid the expansion of global financial concerns.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, the LDP's secretary general, suggested the possibility that the general election might be put off, telling a press conference, "The prime minister will not accept a situation in which there are no lawmakers in the Diet following the dissolution (of the House of Representatives) and they are engaging in their election campaign."
"We need to do the utmost to resolve the turmoil immediately," he added.
While voices remained strong in the ruling coalition that the premier should dissolve the lower house on Oct. 3 immediately after the question-and-answer session, Oshima said, "It is necessary to do what we have to do before discussing the lower house dissolution."
The ongoing extraordinary Diet session convened last Wednesday and runs until Nov. 30.
Sep 29 11:54 PM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 30 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Senior lawmakers of the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party agreed Tuesday to enact the fiscal 2008 supplementary budget quickly.
The move came after Prime Minister Taro Aso ordered Tadamori Oshima, the LDP's Diet Affairs Committee chief, to launch parliamentary deliberations on the extra budget next week, given the financial turmoil in the wake of the U.S. Congress's rejection of the financial bailout package.
Expectations have grown that the next general election, expected for Nov. 2, will be postponed in order to avoid a political vacuum amid the expansion of global financial concerns.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, LDP's secretary general, emphasized at a press conference that it is the top priority of the government and the ruling coalition to calm the uneasiness over the economy, saying, "We need to do the utmost to resolve the turmoil immediately."
An LDP lawmaker close to Aso shared this view, saying, "Voters will adopt a critical stance toward the ruling parties if we create a political vacuum when concerns over the financial crisis are growing."
"We need to tackle the economy. It is not the time for (a general) election," the lawmaker said.
The ongoing extraordinary Diet session convened last Wednesday and runs until Nov. 30.
Sep 29 11:51 PM US/Eastern
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The United States needs to maintain its nuclear weapons capabilities in part to protect "some nonnuclear allies" from potential threats and keep them from pursuing their own nuclear options, according to a recent government report.
The message was incorporated in the 28-page National Security and Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century report, jointly published by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman.
The report does not name those "nonnuclear allies," but they seem to include Japan and South Korea given Washington's commitment made after North Korea's nuclear testing in 2006 to protect the safety of the two nations by any means, including its nuclear deterrence.
"U.S. nuclear weapons deter potential adversaries from the threat or use of weapons of mass destruction against the United States, its deployed forces, and its allies and friends," the report says.
"In the absence of this 'nuclear umbrella,' some nonnuclear allies might perceive a need to develop and deploy their own nuclear capability," it says.
"The United States will need to maintain a nuclear force, though smaller and less prominent than in the past, for the foreseeable future," it says.
The current administration's stance of maintaining nuclear weapons capabilities is in contrast to the gradual but total abolition of nuclear arms called for by such figures as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The report identifies as major U.S. national security challenges terrorist organizations and extremists with weapons of mass destruction or with ambitions to acquire them, "states of concern" such as North Korea and Iran, and China and Russia, which are pursuing modernized nuclear arsenals.
"The primary national security challenge now facing the United States is the nexus of violent extremists and regional states of concern," it says.
SAIPAN, Sept. 30 KYODO
The island of Saipan in the western Pacific is barely overcoming an unprecedented power shortage which has caused a serious impact on tourism, a vital source of revenue, and the daily lives of residents.
The governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Benigno Fitial, declared a state of emergency in August, saying one of the power engines at the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.'s Power Plant 1 could explode at any time, endangering the lives of plant workers.
Saipan is the largest island and capital of the CNMI, a commonwealth in political union with the United States.
CUC Director Tony Muna said his office had no budget for sufficient power plant repair due to the recent surge in fuel prices.
The corporation said one of the power plants is not operating at this time, while a key station with eight generators has only two or three of them functioning. It added that power supply fell well short of demand, forcing it to divide the island into zones and furnish electricity in rotation.
A blackout lasting two to six hours has hit the popular tourist destination island daily the past few months. A local man in his 30s said, ''When it's very bad, the power stops five or six times a day for a total of more than 10 hours. We can't turn on the air conditioning even when it's hot and food in the refrigerator goes bad.''
Major hotels and restaurants on the island maintain their own generators or get their power restored immediately in the event of an outage, but they still have to contend with numerous complaints from tourists.
Muna said electricity has been supplied to the island's flourishing Garapan area and Saipan International Airport on a priority basis.
However, passengers were forced to stay aboard planes or in the airport lobby for several hours in the early hours of Aug. 21 when airlines were unable to carry out routine procedures for flights bound for Narita airport or South Korea due to a power failure.
Power rates have nearly doubled since early last year. ''Monthly electricity bills come to $300 to $400 per household even if we try to save money on air conditioning,'' a Japanese resident said.
CUC subsequently managed to rent generators from a British company, and local reports now say the measure along with others have helped to meet about 80 percent of the island's electricity needs.
Some local citizens are critical of CUC for not taking effective measures to deal with power supply for years and of the government for overlooking deterioration in the corporation's management.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested some officials in August, including a lieutenant governor who was a former CUC director, in connection with fraud that allegedly took place at the corporation.
==Kyodo
Daily Yomiuri Online Click
- Aso boldly throws down gauntlet / In 1st policy speech at Diet, prime minister tells DPJ to put up or shut up
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Prime Minister Taro Aso took a strongly confrontational stance against the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan in his first policy address to the Diet, which was delivered to both houses on Monday afternoon. continued ...
- Aso speech puts ball in DPJ's court
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Tatsuya Fukumoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
In a break from the conventional style of delivering a policy speech at the Diet, Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday called the bluff of the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan by challenging its leader, Ichiro Ozawa, to present his views on security and other key policy issues. continued ...
- Political turmoil sows doubts over Futenma relocation
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Three key members of the Prime Minister's Office have left their posts, leaving negotiations over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, up in the air. continued ...
- Nakayama resignation casts shadow on LDP
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Kohei Kobayashi and Hajime Furukawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers
Many ruling party members are worried about the hurdles that remain for the next House of Representatives election, though the fear of more gaffes by Nariaki Nakayama has been eliminated now that he has stepped down as construction and transport minister. continued ...
- Will Ozawa rise to Aso's challenge?
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Prime Minister Taro Aso's first policy speech at the Diet on Monday was unusual in that he deliberately tried to provoke the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest force in the House of Councillors, by asking questions and making requests to it. continued ...
- U.S. ship keeps tabs on China / George Washington's deployment sends symbolic signal to neighbors
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Chikara Shima and Toshimitsu Ishima / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers
The U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington is now stationed at its new home port at the U.S. naval base in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, marking the first time a U.S. nuclear carrier has been based outside the United States. continued ...
- Criteria for releasing info on accidents must be set
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
"The safety record of the American nuclear-powered fleet is unblemished, and we mean to keep it that way," U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer said Thursday. continued ...
The Asahi Shimbun Click
- Police prepare Miura extradition to L.A.
(IHT/Asahi: September 30,2008) (The Asahi Shimbun)
LOS ANGELES--Police here are preparing to transfer Kazuyoshi Miura, the former trading company president acquitted in Japan of the 1981 fatal shooting of his wife in Los Angeles, sources said. continued ...
- Ruling coalition agrees to hold Diet debate on supplementary budget
(IHT/Asahi: September 30,2008) (The Asahi Shimbun)
Prompted by plunging stock markets around the world, the ruling coalition agreed Tuesday to hold Diet deliberations as early as Oct. 6 on the government's fiscal 2008 supplementary budget proposal, officials said. continued ...
- Minshuto to outline finance plan for its policies
(IHT/Asahi: September 30,2008) (The Asahi Shimbun)
In response to criticism that its policies are financially unrealistic, the main opposition party will vow to raise the needed funds starting with the use of lucrative "buried government assets." continued ...
- Aso lights a fire under Minshuto
(IHT/Asahi: September 30,2008) (The Asahi Shimbun)
Trying to get a jump on the opposition in the Lower House election expected this fall, Prime Minister Taro Aso turned his first Diet policy speech into a string of questions challenging Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan). continued ...
- EDITORIAL: Nakayama's resignation
(IHT/Asahi: September 30,2008) (The Asahi Shimbun)
When Prime Minister Taro Aso stressed his principles for choosing his Cabinet members, he said, "The right person for the right job." However, it seems he was grossly mistaken. On only the fifth day since the appointment of his new Cabinet, his transport minister, Nariaki Nakayama, was forced to resign. continued ...
The Japan Times Click
- Aso goes on attack in Diet policy speech
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
Presses DPJ for political debate, end to gridlock
By MASAMI ITO, Staff writer
Prime Minister Taro Aso kicked off an extraordinary Diet session Monday with a policy speech in which he challenged the Democratic Party of Japan to a political debate, consciously highlighting the ruling camp's rivalry with the largest opposition force. continued ...
- Way cleared for Miura's transfer to L.A.
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
SAIPAN (Kyodo) A Saipan judge has accepted the withdrawal of a writ of habeas corpus by businessman Kazuyoshi Miura's defense team, paving the way for his transfer to Los Angeles. continued ...
- Cabinet approves extra budget but OK by Diet far from certain
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
(Kyodo News) A supplementary budget worth about ¥1.81 trillion for the current fiscal year was formally approved Monday by the Cabinet. continued ...
- Kaneko vows no controversy
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
By TAKAHIRO FUKADA, Staff writer
Newly appointed transport minister Kazuyoshi Kaneko stressed Monday he isn't like his predecessor, Nariaki Nakayama, who was forced to resign following a series of gaffes. continued ...
- CABINET INTERVIEW: Obuchi ready to fight demographic woes
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
By MINORU MATSUTANI, Staff writer
Yuko Obuchi, state minister for population and gender equality, pledged Monday to make her Cabinet colleagues aware of the seriousness of Japan's aging society and to ask them for cooperation at every opportunity. continued ...
- Nakayama named adviser on abductions
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
(Kyodo News) Prime Minister Taro Aso has appointed Kyoko Nakayama as his special adviser on the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Monday. continued ...
- EDITORIAL: Mr. Koizumi leaves the arena
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's announcement that he will not run for the next Lower House election means the departure of a decisive, bold and charismatic politician from the nation's political scene. It is symbolic that his announcement came just after Mr. Taro Aso took power. Prime Minister Aso's call for an aggressive fiscal policy to cope with a downturn of the Japanese economy is the antithesis of Mr. Koizumi's strict structural reform policy line. A clear defeat of Ms. Yuriko Koike, Mr. Koizumi's protege, in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race, may have triggered his decision to step down. continued ...
- EDITORIAL: Election promises
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 (The Japan Times)
With the next general elections expected to be held soon, both Prime Minister Taro Aso and the Democratic Party of Japan led by Mr. Ichiro Ozawa are making policy proposals designed to appeal to as many voters as possible. Given the nation's past experiences and its financial conditions, both need to carefully flesh out their election promises. continued ...
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Three key members of the Prime Minister's Office have left their posts, leaving negotiations over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, up in the air.
This has triggered speculation about how Japan's relationship with the United States will develop with regard to this issue.
With the U.S. presidential election set for November and a new administration to be inaugurated in January, the incumbent U.S. government will have to pass on to the new administration agreements reached between the two sides under U.S. President George W. Bush.
Therefore, the U.S. government needs to discern the position of Prime Minister Taro Aso's newly inaugurated administration on the relocation as soon as possible. Concern is mounting that the issue could have a negative impact on bilateral relations if it does not proceed in line with expectations.
In 2006, the Japanese and U.S. governments agreed to build facilities along the shores of Camp Schwab in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, as an alternative facility for the Futenma base.
However, the Okinawa prefectural government, the Nago municipal government and other municipalities demanded that the new facility be built off Camp Schwab, resulting in a deadlock.
Under the administrations of former Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe, the Defense Ministry tried to force local municipalities to comply with the plan by freezing a project to develop a northern part of the prefecture and withholding grants for the relocation--moves that upset the Okinawa side.
Under the administration of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the Prime Minister's Office--led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masahiro Futahashi, and Atsuo Saka, an assistant chief cabinet secretary--spearheaded negotiations with the Okinawa side.
Under Fukuda, the government's stance became more flexible.
In August, the central government, Okinawa Prefecture and related municipalities established a working team to deal with the relocation issue.
However, Fukuda's sudden resignation and the departure of Machimura, Futahashi and Saka from the Prime Minister's Office threaten the momentum of the talks.
The U.S. Defense Department is scheduled to brief Congress on its budget from February.
The relocation of the air base, scheduled for completion in 2014, coupled with the transfer of 8,000 of the 15,000 marines in Okinawa Prefecture to Guam, is expected to require an enormous amount of funds. Therefore, the Pentagon will have to present to Congress the outlook for the relocation plan.
A high-ranking Japanese government official said any changes and delays in the plan would be unacceptable after the Defense Department receives consent from Congress.
In light of this, the government plans to lay the groundwork for talks with the Okinawa side, but the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a looming general election make this a difficult task.
The government hopes to finish an environmental assessment next spring and start construction in 2010, but if these projects are delayed due to the Japan side, relations with the United States are likely sour, according to some pundits.
(Sep. 30, 2008)
The Asahi Shimbun Click
- Full text of Prime Minister Aso's policy speech
Sep 29 10:24 AM US/Eastern (Kyoto, AP)
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The following is a provisional translation, provided by the government, of the full text of Japanese Prime minister Taro Aso's policy speech delivered Monday before the Diet. continued ...
- Full text of Prime Minister Aso's policy speech -2-
Sep 29 10:47 AM US/Eastern (Kyoto, AP)
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—(Steady Economic Growth)
Rebuilding the Japanese economy is an issue of utmost urgency.
I will take this up in three phases. In the near term, we will take measures to revive business activity; in the mid-term, we will rebuild public finances; and during the mid- to long-term, we will pursue economic growth through reforms. continued ...
- Full text of Prime Minister Aso's policy speech -3
Sep 29 10:56 AM US/Eastern (Kyoto, AP)
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Anxiety also certainly grows if we are unable to put our trust in medical care. I frankly recognize and strongly regret that the medical care system for people aged seventy-five years and over has caused unnecessary confusion among the public, in part because of insufficient explanation. However, simply abolishing the system will not resolve the problem. We will consider necessary revisions over a period of about one year so as to gain the understanding of the elderly. continued ...
- Full text of Prime Minister Aso's policy speech -4
Sep 29 11:11 AM US/Eastern (Kyoto, AP)
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—(Regional Revitalization)
I will now turn to the topic of our regions.
What we should seek to do is to reawaken the vitality of the regions. Each region must have pride and vitality. continued ...
Daily Yomiuri Online Click
- Dissolution plan unchanged
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 29, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Thinking the early resignation of Construction and Transport Minister Nariaki Nakayama will minimize any adverse effects Nakayama's comments might have had on the Liberal Democratic Party's fortunes in the expected general election, Prime Minister Taro Aso will not change a plan to dissolve the House of Representatives in early October, and expects to announce a lower house election on Oct. 21 to be held Nov. 2, according to sources. continued ...
- Radioactive substance lost during transportation
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 29, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
A cardboard box containing a radioactive substance was lost during transportation from a research facility in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, to a university in Kyoto Prefecture, on Wednesday, according to the government. continued ...
- Miura to continue court battle in Saipan
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 29, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
SAIPAN--A lawyer for Kazuyoshi Miura, a 61-year-old former company president currently being detained in Saipan on suspicion of plotting the shooting-related death of his wife in 1981, vowed Saturday to continue the court battle to prevent Miura being extradited to Los Angeles. continued ...
- Editorial: Nakayama's remarks immoderate, costly
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 29, 2008) (Daily Yomiuri Online)
Too much water drowns the miller. Even when expounding one's opinions as a politician, one must not forget one's position as a cabinet member and keep on making remarks beyond the limits of reasonableness. continued ...
The Asahi Shimbun Click
- Miura may face conspiracy charge
2008/9/29 (The Asahi Shimbun)
LOS ANGELES--A man acquitted in Japan of the fatal 1981 shooting of his wife here can face trial in the United States for conspiracy to murder, a county court ruled Friday. continued ...
- Nakayama resigns over gaffes
2008/9/29 (The Asahi Shimbun)
Transport minister Nariaki Nakayama stepped down Sunday after just five days on the job, amid mounting criticism of a series of controversial remarks, dealing a serious blow to the new administration of Prime Minister Taro Aso. continued ...
- Koizumi's son inherits family job
2008/9/29 (The Asahi Shimbun)
YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa Prefecture--Although Junichiro Koizumi has often been characterized as an eccentric, the former prime minister gave the impression of an ordinary, doting father here Saturday, as he formally introduced his son's entrance to politics. continued ...
- EDITORIAL: Nakayama's gaffes
2008/9/29 (The Asahi Shimbun)
Was he so overwhelmed at becoming a minister that he lost control of his tongue? On his second day as the new minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, Nariaki Nakayama faced the media and let out a barrage of astounding verbal gaffes. continued ...
- EDITORIAL: Koizumi's retirement
2008/9/29 (The Asahi Shimbun)
"Don Quixote, while derided as a lunatic, demonstrated the nobleness of a man who fights to the end for his ideals. His tale moves me profoundly." continued ...
The Japan Times Click
- Gaffe-prone Nakayama quits Cabinet
Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 (The Japan Times)
Aso names Kaneko to take transport post
By MASAMI ITO and TAKAHIRO FUKADA, Staff writers
Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet suffered a serious blow Sunday with the resignation of transport minister Nariaki Nakayama, who was under fire for several gaffes, including saying Japan is "ethnically homogenous." continued ...
- Use of outdated code led to ambush that killed Yamamoto, U.S. files show
Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 (The Japan Times)
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The U.S. was able to decrypt secret Japanese communications that led to the death of Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto during World War II because messages were still being written in an old cipher that should have been destroyed, according to declassified U.S. intelligence documents. continued ...
- CABINET INTERVIEW: Kawamura promises to keep Aso from tripping over his own feet
Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 The Japan Times)
By MASAMI ITO, Staff writer
As right-hand man to the prime minister, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura says his job is to make sure that Taro Aso continued ...
The Mainichi Daily News Click
- Myanmarese troops who killed Japanese journalist were following government orders
(Mainichi Japan) September 29, 2008 (Mainichi Japan)
BANGKOK -- Myanmarese troops who gunned down Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai at an anti-government rally in Yangon last year were explicitly ordered to shoot anyone carrying a camera or video camera, according to secret military documents obtained by the Mainichi Shimbun on Saturday. Local officials had claimed he was shot accidentally. continued ...
- Aso attacks DPJ in first policy speech before Diet
(Mainichi Japan) September 29, 2008 (Mainichi Japan)
Prime Minister Taro Aso attacked the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for using the House of Councillors to block the passage of bills during his first policy speech before the Diet on Monday. continued ...
- Minister Nakayama resigns over offensive comments
(Mainichi Japan) September 29, 2008 (Mainichi Japan)
Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Minister Nariaki Nakayama has resigned to take responsibility for his controversial comments that included his assertion that the lack of progress on plans to expand Narita Airport could be blamed on local residents who held out against expansion for personal gain. continued ...
- Editorial: Prime Minister Aso needs to consider the weight of his words
(Mainichi Japan) September 29, 2008 (Mainichi Japan)
Prime Minister Taro Aso delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday. He is the first Japanese prime minister to address that body in three years. continued ...
Sep 29 09:05 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso's political fund arms raised 352.38 million yen in 2007, with 77 percent coming from fundraising parties, their official reports showed Monday.
The total includes 51.04 million yen in donations from businesses and other organizations to two chapters of the Liberal Democratic Party headed by Aso.
Businesses and organizations are banned from making donations to politicians or their support groups but are allowed to make donations to political party chapters headed by them.
The reports -- filed by a total of 10 entities with the Fukuoka prefectural election management committee and the central government -- showed that the two LDP chapters headed by Aso gave a total of 7 million yen to a local support group for Aso in Fukuoka.
While this suggests some corporate donations may have been passed on to Aso's support group, it remains uncertain as the LDP chapters also accept donations from individuals.
Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:56am EDT
By Linda Sieg
TOKYO (Reuters) - New Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, his eyes on a snap poll, went on the offensive Monday, pledging tax cuts, blasting the opposition for blocking policies and urging his rivals to help pass emergency economic steps.
Aso also said his diplomatic priority was to strengthen ties with close ally Washington while working with China and other neighbors for regional stability, and called for extending a naval mission in support of U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.
Aso, an outspoken nationalist who took office last week after his predecessor abruptly quit, is expected to call an early general election to try to break a stalemate created by a divided parliament, where the main opposition Democratic Party and its smaller allies control the upper house and can delay bills.
But Aso's new cabinet was backfooted this weekend when his transport minister quit over a series of verbal gaffes after just four days in the job, giving the opposition fresh ammunition for an election already expected to be a close fight.
"The series of comments were extremely inappropriate and I apologize to the people and to those concerned," Aso said.
In a harsh attack on the opposition rare in such speeches, Aso accused the Democrats of putting party interests first.
"From start to finish, the Democratic Party's stance was to put political maneuvering first and the people's livelihoods second and third," Aso told the lower house.
"The Democratic Party's motto is 'Politics is for the sake of protecting the people's livelihoods' ... To truly realize that aim, we must create rules to reach agreements," he said.
"Is the Democratic Party prepared to do that? Or, by refusing to make decisions in this session of parliament and once again putting the people's livelihoods second, will it betray its own principles?"
Opposition parties delayed a number of key bills in the last session of parliament and twice rejected the government's pick for Bank of Japan governor, leaving the seat vacant for weeks.
BUDGET IN FOCUS
The head of the small People's New Party, a Democratic Party ally, criticized Aso's speech for its unusually combative tone.
"It sounded like he was provoking the Democratic Party ... the word came up about 10 times," Hisaoki Kamei told reporters.
Aso, 68, pledged to implement temporary income tax cuts as emergency support for households struggling with an economic recession and high prices and said he would take extra steps if needed to deal with fallout from the U.S. financial crisis.
He urged the opposition to help pass a 1.8 trillion yen ($17 billion) economic package to help ease the pain of high energy and food prices.
"Once again, I ask the Democratic Party and other opposition parties for their cooperation in parliamentary affairs."
The emergency steps, unveiled last month by Aso's predecessor Yasuo Fukuda, who quit suddenly shortly afterwards, include support for the elderly and credit guarantees for small firms But economists have said they will do little to boost growth.
Analysts and domestic media have said Aso could use a refusal by opposition parties to pass the extra budget quickly as an excuse to dissolve the lower house and call a snap poll.
Aso said he would put priority on economic growth ahead of efforts to rein in Japan's bulging public debt, a stance that has raised concerns among many economists.
"Without economic growth there can be no fiscal reform," Aso said. "It is impossible," he said, adding he would "make efforts" to achieve a target of balancing the budget by 2012.
He also pledged to eradicate public anxiety about pensions and health care for Japan's fast-aging population but stopped short of clarifying how to fund a creaking social welfare system.
Most economists say a rise in the 5 percent consumption tax is inevitable, but politicians on both sides are wary of angering voters by spelling out their stance.
Aso attacked the Democrats for opposing Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan and questioned party leader Ichiro Ozawa's insistence on U.N. approval for overseas military missions.
A law to extend the naval refueling mission expires in January. The government was forced to halt the operation for three months starting late last year due to opposition stalling.
"The exit from the fight against terrorism is by no means in sight," Aso said. "At this time, Japan as a member of international society does not have the option to withdraw from such activities," he said. "Democratic Party, even so, do you think that is OK? I ask your views."
(Additional reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Michael Watson)
By HIROSHI YAMAZAKI
UPI Correspondent
Published: September 29, 2008
Tokyo, Japan — Following his speech at the United Nations in New York last week, Taro Aso, Japan's new prime minister, made his debut in the Diet Monday by introducing a strong and concise strategy to revive the country’s faltering economy.
At the opening of the Diet session, Aso set forth a three-stage program including short-term recovery measures, medium-term plans to rebuild public finance and structural reforms to induce long-term growth.
"The Japanese economy will heal in three years," he pledged.
Repeating his favorite slogan, “toward a strong and bright Japan," the 67-year-old Aso reminded his compatriots that Japan has overcome numerous past challenges, and will surely do so again, growing stronger in the process.
"I have no doubt about the potential of Japan and the Japanese people," Aso said. The phrase echoes the sentiment of his recent book, “Incredible Japan,” which stresses the country’s strengths.
Aso will soon have to defend his new position in a general election, but is favored to win, thanks to his optimism and attractive personality. According to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun poll, Aso’s rating, at 59 percent, was twice that of his challenger Ichiro Ozawa, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
But in order to kick off his recovery program, Aso needs the Diet to quickly approve a 1.8 trillion-yen (US$17 billion) supplementary budget.
If passed, the budget will not only stimulate the economy, but will raise the chances of Aso’s Liberal Democratic Party taking the lead in the upcoming elections.
News reports indicate that Aso will dissolve the Lower House of the Diet immediately following the budget debate.
The DPJ has been calling for early elections, believing it has a good chance of taking over the government. The Upper House of the Diet has been under the control of the DPJ-led opposition for more than a year.
Mindful of this possibility, the prime minister stacked his policy statement Monday with unusually sharp and pointed criticism and challenges toward the opposition parties. Particularly, he questioned the DPJ's political wisdom and integrity in indulging in party politics and a desperate power grab at a time when there is urgent national business at hand.
Former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, whose abrupt resignation surprised everyone and disappointed many in the nation, had expressed frustration over the difficulty of conducting government business when the DPJ-dominating Upper House repeatedly rejected important legislation and personnel appointments.
The current governor of the central bank was endorsed by the Diet only after two candidates failed to win approval from the opposition in the Upper House.
Aso, perhaps in an attempt to show he is made of stronger stuff, swore in his speech to the Diet Monday that he would not back down in the face of pressure from the opposition. "I shall not retreat," he declared.
By deliberately delaying legislation related to economic relief, including tax cuts, the opposition is doing a disservice to ordinary people who are suffering from the current recession, he said. He accused the DPJ of violating their own election slogan, in which the party claimed that politics was to protect people's livelihoods.
On the diplomatic front, Aso reiterated the vital importance of strengthening Japan’s alliance with the United States as the basis for national security. He also confirmed his commitment to maintaining Japan's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean for international vessels engaged in anti-terror operations.
Sep 29 02:10 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso delivered his first policy speech before the Diet on Monday, adopting a confrontational approach to the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan over pressing issues including an extra budget ahead of an anticipated House of Representatives election.
"I would like (the DPJ) to show with its basis of argument at interpellations if there is a part which it cannot accept. It is of course acceptable to present an original idea, but clearly specifying the financial resource would be necessary," Aso, 68, said in the speech.
Aso said the speech, which followed the launch Wednesday of his administration, would "only address pressing issues" and that he will enter into discussions with the DPJ.
He called on the DPJ for debates over the 1.81 trillion yen supplementary budget for the current fiscal 2008, which is to back up a package of emergency economic measures, and Japan's antiterrorism refueling mission in the Indian Ocean.
It is rare for a prime minister to goad another party in a policy speech to hold debates.
"I get the impression that it is a bit different from previous policy speeches" as it shows the feeling of the prime minister, who wants to engage in solid policy debate with the DPJ ahead of a lower house election, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference.
Aso took a challenging stance toward the DPJ against the backdrop of the current political situation, where calls to dissolve the lower house at an early time for a general election has gained strength after two of his predecessors -- Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda -- abruptly resigned in one year after taking office.
On economic issues, Aso unveiled his vision of taking a three-step approach -- first to prop up the economy in the short term, second to reconstruct the finances as a medium-term goal and third to attain economic growth through reform as a long-term goal.
"There will not be fiscal reconstruction without economic development," Aso said.
Aso said his government will make efforts to maintain the goal of achieving a budget surplus on a primary balance basis in fiscal 2011.
A primary balance surplus will be realized when outlays other than debt-servicing costs are covered by revenues without relying on fresh debt issuance.
Meanwhile, the speech did not mention any prospects of a hike in the consumption tax, which became one of the main topics during the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party where Aso was elected to be the president last week.
It also did not touch on the resignation of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Nariaki Nakayama, who stepped down Sunday only five days after his appointment over a series of verbal gaffes.
Nakayama's successor, Kazuyoshi Kaneko, formally took office Monday, undergoing an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
On Japan's refueling mission, Aso stressed the importance of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's activities as he believes Japan engages in the mission for its own sake.
"There is no choice for Japan, a member of the international society, to withdraw from the activities in this time," Aso said, urging the DPJ to show its view on whether it is okay for Japan to discontinue the mission beyond January when the current law authorizing the mission expires.
The opposition camp, which controls the House of Councillors, has opposed the refueling mission, leading to a four-month suspension of the mission until February after Aso's predecessor Fukuda failed to win parliamentary approval to extend the then special authorization law.
On the diplomatic front, he stressed that strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance is most important, while also mentioning the need to build regional stability and prosperity with Asian and Pacific nations including China, South Korea and Russia.
On prioritizing the Japan-U.S. alliance, Aso apparently referred to DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa's U.N.-centered foreign policy and said Japan cannot commit the destiny of the nation to the United Nations as it can currently be swayed by intentions of a small number of countries.
"The DPJ has a responsibility to clarify to the Japanese people and the world" whether it intends to prioritize between the Japan-U.S. alliance or the United Nations, he said.
He also touched on North Korea, pledging to seek the North's actions to inclusively resolve abduction, nuclear and missile issues, settle the unfortunate past and to seek normalizing diplomatic relations between the two while committing to stabilize the Korean Peninsula.
On domestic policies, Aso said his government will make a "necessary review" of the unpopular healthcare insurance program for seniors aged 75 or older, while strongly reflecting on confusing the public due to a lack of explanation.
The insurance program, put in place in April and covering about 13 million people, has come under fire for placing a heavier financial burden on some elderly people with low incomes.
Aso also emphasized the need to establish a consumer affairs agency after vowing to prevent the recurrence of sales of tainted rice for edible purposes.
- Japan's new PM faces setback as transport minister resigns
Sun Sep 28, 6:43 AM ET
by Harumi Ozawa
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's new Prime Minister Taro Aso on Sunday faced his first political setback just days after taking office as his transport minister was forced to resign over a series of embarrassing gaffes. continued ...
- Japan minister quits in blow to new PM Aso
Sun Sep 28, 5:48 AM ET
By Linda Sieg
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's transport minister quit on Sunday after just four days in the job over a series of contentious remarks, a blow to brand new Prime Minister Taro Aso as he considers calling a snap election. continued ...
- Japan's transport minister resigns
| 28.09.2008 | 15:00 UTC
(Deutsche Welle) Japan's new transport minister has resigned only four days after starting work. Media reports said Nariaki Nakayama had resigned because of a series of controversial remarks he had made. These reportedly included disparaging comments about the main teachers' union. Nakayama also angered Japan's aboriginal Ainu people by describing Japan as "ethnically homogenous". Japanese media say the resignation is a setback for the new prime minister, Taro Aso, who already has an approval rating of less than 50 percent." continued ...
- Political gaffe adds to Japan PM woes
September 29, 2008
Justin Norrie, Tokyo (The Age, Australia)
JAPAN might have a new Prime Minister, but his Liberal Democratic Party appears to be following the same farcical script that has reduced political leaders to figures of fun. continued ...
- Japan transport minister quits over gaffes
2008-09-28 18:37:40
By SHINO YUASA, Associated Press Writer.
Japan's transport minister resigned Sunday after a string of gaffes, dealing a major blow to Prime Minister Taro Aso's fledgling administration. continued ...
- Japan's newly-appointed transport minister resigns over verbal blunders
2008-09-28 09:17:40
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan's newly-appointed transport minister Nariaki Nakayama handed in his resignation Sunday due to verbal blunders. continued ...
- Japan’s Transportation Minister Quits
Published: September 28, 2008
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
TOKYO — Prime Minister Taro Aso’s fledgling government suffered an early blow on Sunday night when the transportation minister resigned for verbal gaffes that had outraged school teachers and the nation’s ethnic minorities and foreign residents. continued ...
- Japan's transport minister quits in blow to new PM Taro Aso
Last Updated: 9:34PM BST 28 Sep 2008
Japan's new Prime Minister Taro Aso faced a test of his new administration on Sunday just days after taking office when his transport minister was forced to resign over a string of political gaffes.
By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo telegraph.co.uk
Nariaki Nakayama, a former education minister, announced his resignation after labelling the nation's largest teachers' union "a cancer on Japanese education" and urging its disbandment. continued ...
- Japan's transport minister quits over gaffes
3:00 PM CST 29 September 2008
TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan's transport minister resigned Sunday after a string of gaffes, dealing a major blow to Prime Minister Taro Aso's fledgling administration. continued ...
Sep 28 10:21 PM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 29 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso has appointed Kyoko Nakayama as his special adviser on the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Monday.
Kawamura, who is in charge of dealing with the abduction issue, said he is scheduled to meet family members of abductees on Thursday for the first time since he took the post last week.
"I'd like to directly hear the feelings and requests from the families of abduction victims with this opportunity and to work to resolve the abduction issue in the future," Kawamura told a news conference.
Nakayama assumed her post Saturday.
She had been serving as special adviser to the prime minister from September 2006 and was promoted to state minister in charge of the abduction issue in former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet reshuffle on Aug. 1.
Nakayama's husband Nariaki Nakayama resigned Sunday as the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister following a series of verbal gaffes.
Monday 29th September, 05:09 AM JST
TOKYO —
A ripple of bewilderment has passed through the Japanese government since new Prime Minister Taro Aso indicated he may move to enable the Self-Defense Forces to exercise the right of collective self-defense, lifting decades-old legal restrictions. Aso was known as an advocate of the policy even before becoming prime minister. Yet, a remark to that effect he made at the U.N. headquarters—only one day after becoming the new Japanese head of government—drew fresh attention both in and outside Japan.
But the comment by Aso, who sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, has baffled many Japanese officials and even conservative lawmakers and there are few signs so far that the issue will grow into a big political topic in the near future.
‘‘It’s not exactly clear to me what the prime minister meant,’’ a senior Japanese government official said in New York.
Aso said Thursday that he thinks the right of collective self-defense is an ‘‘important’’ issue when asked by reporters about whether he intends to change Japan’s current policy.
Another senior government official tried to downplay the remark, saying, ‘‘The prime minister only repeated what he has believed since long before. I don’t think he made the comment with a special intention.’’
A senior lawmaker of Aso’s dominant Liberal Democratic Party who is closely involved in defense and security matters reacted similarly.
‘‘We can continue discussions on the matter but this is not going to be a political issue for the time being,’’ the lawmaker said.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada suggested in Tokyo that now is not an appropriate time to take up the issue as a House of Representatives election, the first big nationwide election in three years, is widely expected to be called soon.
Aso’s remark turned the spotlight on the issue, a politically sensitive matter in Japan under the war-renouncing Constitution, for the first time since former hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stepped down about a year ago.
Successive Japanese governments have taken the position that the country has the right of collective self-defense, but cannot exercise it, a legal interpretation disputed by some legal scholars.
Abe led a project to lift the ban on the use of the right in step with political moves in which the old Defense Agency was upgraded to a full ministry, while making an international contribution was added to the main duties of the SDF last year.
Opponents have said the SDF could be sucked into war in violation of the Constitution if SDF troops were to be put in a situation where they have no other choice but to defend an ally under attack or to fight back for the ally, in effect the United States, Japan’s closest security ally.
In June, a panel of experts set up under Abe urged then Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to lift the ban on exercising the right of collective self-defense.
But Fukuda turned a deaf ear to the report, which has been shelved since then.
Meanwhile, the first government official suggested that Japan should give a clear answer to the question sooner or later as the country has tried to make the SDF play a bigger role overseas.
‘‘Even if non-Japanese troops came under attack just in front of the SDF in a foreign country, the SDF could do almost nothing for them under the current law. I wonder if that is the right thing to do,’’ the official said, asking not to be named.
Some SDF officers have confessed they are frustrated at the lack of a clear position by the government on the question of whether the SDF can defend allies or not overseas.
‘‘I don’t understand the rhetoric. We have the right to defend foreign allies technically, but cannot do it,’’ a Ground Self-Defense Force officer said.
‘‘We are always ready to go to a foreign country to help somebody without engaging in combat if the government tells us to do so in the future. But it is hard to be in a situation where we are not allowed to do anything to help foreign troops in danger,’’ the officer said.
Sep 28 07:17 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The government and the ruling parties should not make it a prerequisite using an extraordinary parliamentary measure to realize an extension of Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Sunday.
"We will make utmost efforts to definitely have the opposition parties understand (about the extension)...so that we don't have to do such a thing as holding (the special step of) a revote," Kawamura said in an interview with Kyodo News and other media organizations.
Kawamura was referring to a second vote that the powerful House of Representatives can hold to override the opposition-dominated House of Councillors' rejection of a bill. The ruling parties currently have a two-thirds majority in the lower house that allows them to hold such a vote.
In January this year, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party resorted to a revote to resume the refueling mission in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, which had terminated after the ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement.
But a special law authorizing the mission will again expire next January and the government and the ruling parties are hoping for an extension.
Kawamura expressed hope an agreement will be reached between the ruling and opposition parties during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session, which was convened Wednesday.
"The (main opposition) Democratic Party of Japan seems to be saying it is against the idea, but is it really OK with that?" Kawamura said.
"It's not an issue that should be realized on the assumption (of holding a revote) from the beginning," he said.
A bill to extend the mission is to be submitted to the Diet on Monday.
Meanwhile, Kawamura said it is important to enact a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, which is part of an emergency policy package designed to ease the negative impact on the Japanese economy of rises in energy and raw material costs.
How the government and the ruling parties deal with the supplementary budget is widely seen to be linked with when Aso plans to call a general election, which is expected to come soon.
As for his role, Kawamura said he would like to serve as a sort of "cotton" that protects the prime minister who tries to move ahead, while also highlighting Aso's personality at the same time.
Aso, a former foreign minister also known as a fan of "manga" comics, succeeded Yasuo Fukuda as prime minister last week, reflecting hopes in the ruling parties that his name recognition will help them to victory in the next general election.
Sep 28 06:03 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The government and the ruling coalition parties have decided to appoint former speed skater Seiko Hashimoto, a member of the House of Councillors, as a state secretary for foreign affairs, officials said Sunday.
They have also decided to appoint House of Representative member Hideaki Omura, 48, as senior vice minister of health, labor and welfare, they said.
Their appointments will be approved at a Cabinet meeting on Monday.
The 43-year-old Hashimoto, a bronze medalist at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, will assume the post vacated by Ichita Yamamoto. Yamamoto resigned from the post earlier this month as he prepared to run in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race.
All other senior vice ministers will retain their posts.
Sep 28 05:53 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Former administrative reform minister Kazuyoshi Kaneko, who was tapped Sunday by Prime Minister Taro Aso as new transport minister, is known as a financial and economic policy expert.
Kaneko worked as a banker at the now-defunct Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan before gaining a House of Representatives seat in 1986, following in the footsteps of his late father Ippei Kaneko, who was a former finance minister.
The 65-year-old Gifu Prefecture native is also well-versed in construction and transport affairs as his career also includes jobs as parliamentary vice minister of construction and head of the Liberal Democratic Party's construction committee.
The new Cabinet portfolio will be his second ministerial post. Kaneko served as state minister in charge of administrative and regulatory reforms from 2003 to 2004 under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Kaneko is currently serving his seventh term.
Sep 28 04:51 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Sept. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Taro Aso appointed on Sunday former state minister in charge of administrative reform Kazuyoshi Kaneko as land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister.
Kaneko replaced Nariaki Nakayama, who resigned from the Cabinet post earlier in the day after making a series of remarks widely seen as gaffes in the days following his appointment.
Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:06pm EDT
By Linda Sieg
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's transport minister resigned from his post on Sunday after just four days in the job over a series of contentious remarks, a blow to brand new Prime Minister Taro Aso as he considers calling a snap election.
Transport Minister Nariaki Nakayama, the first to resign from Aso's cabinet, had come under fire on Saturday for calling Japan's biggest teachers union a "cancer" in the education system. It was the latest in a series of gaffes by Nakayama, one of several outspoken allies whom Aso had tapped as ministers.
"We cannot say that this is not damaging," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference after Aso accepted Nakayama's resignation.
"We must show the people how hard the Aso government is working, and try to win back the public's confidence. That is all that we can do," he added.
Aso, an outspoken nationalist who favors spending and tax cuts to boost Japan's faltering economy, took office on Wednesday to replace Yasuo Fukuda, the second Japanese premier to quit abruptly in a year after seeing their popularity slump.
"Aso, who had just launched his new cabinet, has suffered an early blow," the Nikkei business daily said in an editorial.
"Prime Minister Aso's responsibility for the appointment will be sharply questioned," the paper said, noting Nakayama, a former education minister, had a history of controversial remarks.
Aso, who himself has a reputation for offending with off-the-cuff comments, is widely expected to call an early general election to try to break a policy deadlock due to a divided parliament, where the opposition controls the upper house and can delay laws.
ROCKY START
Support for Aso's cabinet fell short of 50 percent in several media polls published on Friday, lower than Fukuda enjoyed when he first took the job and casting doubt on Aso's ability to lead his party, which has ruled Japan for most of the past half-century, to an election win.
Opinion polls show that while Aso, 68, is more popular than main opposition Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa, his Liberal Democratic Party has only a small lead among voters when they are asked for whom they will cast their ballots.
Nakayama's fate was sealed on Saturday after he called the Japan Teachers Union "a cancer for Japan's education system" and vowed to destroy the left-leaning group.
Nakayama, 65, had already gotten off to a rocky start when he had to apologize and withdraw comments made in interviews with media including a remark that Japan was "ethnically homogeneous." That statement drew protests from Japan's Ainu indigenous people, who have long suffered discrimination.
Opposition parties called for Nakayama to resign, and Kawamura on Friday warned ministers to watch what they said.
Nakayama was a staunch advocate of revising Japan's basic law on education to put more emphasis on teaching patriotism and traditional values. The reforms, opposed by the Japan Teachers' Union, were enacted in 2006.
He also heads a group of LDP lawmakers that declared the 1937 Nanjing Massacre a fabrication. China says Japanese troops killed 300,000 people in what was then the capital, while an Allied tribunal put the death toll at about 142,000.
(Additional reporting by Miho Yoshikawa; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
TOKYO, Sept. 28 KYODO 12:04
Sunday's resignation of a Cabinet minister just days after Prime Minister Taro Aso's administration was inaugurated is widely expected to deal a major blow to the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, with a possible general election looming in November.
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Nariaki Nakayama left his Cabinet post after serving only five days despite Aso's declaration Wednesday at the launch of his Cabinet that, "We're going to fight in the election with these members."
The ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party has sought to dissolve the House of Representatives at an early date for a general election while the approval rating for the new Cabinet is still relatively high.
But it now needs to take into consideration the adverse effects of the resignation in deciding the timing of the election.
Nakayama resigned for a series of verbal gaffes he made in the short period he was in office -- disparaging the Japan Teachers' Union and making such comments as Japan is "ethnically homogenous."
The ruling parties still aim to put forward Aso as "the front man" for the election despite findings he may not be as popular as previously thought.
A Kyodo News poll conducted after the launch of the Aso administration showed the public support rate for the Cabinet stood at 48.6 percent, compared with 57.8 percent for his predecessor Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet just after its launch last September.
But in the poll, Aso easily outscored Ichiro Ozawa, president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, in terms of respondents viewing him as suitable to be prime minister, by 53.9 percent to 29.4 percent.
The ruling parties' strategy to dramatize the election as a fight between Aso and Ozawa, however, may be hampered by the resignation as the prime minister now faces calls to take responsibility for having appointed Nakayama as a Cabinet member.
Opposition parties harshly criticized Aso for appointing Nakayama and are poised to question the Aso administration over the matter in sessions of parliament.
Some senior members of the ruling coalition also admit Aso "bears responsibility" for appointing Nakayama as a Cabinet minister, including LDP Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda, who used such wording on a television program Sunday.
Opposition parties have intensified their offensive, with Hisaoki Kamei, secretary general of the tiny opposition People's New Party, urging the prime minister to apologize, saying, "The prime minister, who appointed him, should honestly say, 'I was wrong.'"
DPJ President Ozawa said at a news conference in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, "The responsibility of Prime Minister Taro Aso is significant," adding that a general election should be held to seek the public's response.
Following Nakayama's resignation, speculation on the timing of the general election is running rife among members of both ruling and opposition blocs.
A senior New Komeito lawmaker said that Aso, who is eager to seek an early enactment of a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year before dissolving the lower house during the extraordinary Diet session, may alter his plan and dissolve the Diet at an early date after interpellation ends on Friday.
The prime minister is likely to decide to dissolve the Diet on Oct. 3 for a Nov. 2 general election to avoid a barrage of criticism from the opposition bloc in parliament if the Diet enters deliberations on a supplementary budget for fiscal 2008, the lawmaker said.
DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said Nakayama's resignation may have a major effect on the government and the ruling parties' plan on the election as it is possible the support rate for Aso's Cabinet may decline rapidly.
"They may not be able to dissolve the Diet and hold a general election" as the support rate may go into the danger zone in the worst case, Hatoyama said.
An LDP member said, "This new problem has been added to the ruling parties, which are already plagued by the issues of tainted rice and pensions. The LDP may suffer a disastrous defeat if (the Diet) is dissolved now."
However, some ruling coalition members are downplaying the impact of Nakayama's resignation.
LDP House of Representative lawmaker Jiro Ono said, "Although it is a negative for the election, (the effect) will be minimized as (Nakayama) made the decision at early time."
==Kyodo
Sep 30 08:21 AM US/Eastern
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