By HIROSHI YAMAZAKIUPI 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.
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