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185420
Mon, 05/30/2011 - 19:11
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https://oananews.org//node/185420
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DPJ's Ozawa hints at support for no-confidence motion against gov't
(Kyodo) - Ruling Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa hinted Monday that he could support the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet that the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party and its ally the New Komeito party are set to submit to parliament, sources close to the matter said.
While Ozawa, a political rival of Kan and former DPJ leader, said in a meeting with lawmakers close to him that he will continue to push for Kan to step down voluntarily, he added, ''If such efforts are unsuccessful, I will make a decision when I need to,'' according to the sources.
Before the meeting, Ozawa held talks with former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and agreed that they would assess moves by DPJ lawmakers regarding the motion, the sources said.
Ozawa also met with other senior party lawmakers including former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and former Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, apparently to discuss how to handle the motion, DPJ sources said.
Earlier, the two opposition parties agreed to make final arrangements for the submission of the motion to the House of Representatives this week, possibly as early as Thursday, a day after a parliamentary debate between Kan, who leads the DPJ, and LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki, lawmakers of the parties said.
By presenting the motion, the two opposition parties intend to show their displeasure over the government's handling of the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, and aim to pressure Kan to step down.
At the meeting with lawmakers close to him, Ozawa repeated his criticism of the prime minister, saying, ''(Kan) has failed to provide assurance to the public and people affected by the disaster. As a politician, I am deeply concerned,'' according to the sources.
The opposition camp requires many DPJ lawmakers to rebel against Kan for the motion to be passed by the lower house, which is controlled by the DPJ-led ruling coalition.
Kan, meanwhile, met with Katsuya Okada, the DPJ's secretary general, and confirmed that the party will impose strict measures, such as expulsion, on members who vote for the motion or intentionally skip voting.
Jun Azumi, Diet affairs chief of the DPJ, told reporters, ''Now is the time for us to make full efforts to help the victims of the disaster, rebuild and bring the nuclear crisis under control. Anyone who would play a part (in supporting the motion) will be dealt with in a strict way.''
Okada indicated in a separate news conference that he wants the motion voted down as soon as possible during the plenary session of the lower house.
''It is not wise to let this issue drag on,'' Okada said.
In the northeastern city of Aomori, Tanigaki said during a stump speech for Sunday's Aomori gubernatorial election that the Kan administration can no longer function and make headway in reconstruction efforts.
''It is necessary for us to demonstrate our will to take over'' the handling of reconstruction, Tanigaki said. He has said that Kan's government will face a no-confidence motion if the second extra budget for fiscal 2011 is not submitted to parliament before it adjourns on June 22.
The two opposition parties also agreed during Monday's meeting between LDP Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara and his New Komeito counterpart Yoshihisa Inoue to call on other opposition parties to join them in presenting the motion, the lawmakers said.
The opposition Japanese Communist Party will support the motion but will not jointly submit it with the LDP and New Komeito, according to Tadayoshi Ichida, the JCP's secretary general.
Ichida said at a news conference that the LDP, which held power almost without interruption until the DPJ took over in 2009, shares the blame for pursuing nuclear power.
While Ozawa, a political rival of Kan and former DPJ leader, said in a meeting with lawmakers close to him that he will continue to push for Kan to step down voluntarily, he added, ''If such efforts are unsuccessful, I will make a decision when I need to,'' according to the sources.
Before the meeting, Ozawa held talks with former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and agreed that they would assess moves by DPJ lawmakers regarding the motion, the sources said.
Ozawa also met with other senior party lawmakers including former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and former Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, apparently to discuss how to handle the motion, DPJ sources said.
Earlier, the two opposition parties agreed to make final arrangements for the submission of the motion to the House of Representatives this week, possibly as early as Thursday, a day after a parliamentary debate between Kan, who leads the DPJ, and LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki, lawmakers of the parties said.
By presenting the motion, the two opposition parties intend to show their displeasure over the government's handling of the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, and aim to pressure Kan to step down.
At the meeting with lawmakers close to him, Ozawa repeated his criticism of the prime minister, saying, ''(Kan) has failed to provide assurance to the public and people affected by the disaster. As a politician, I am deeply concerned,'' according to the sources.
The opposition camp requires many DPJ lawmakers to rebel against Kan for the motion to be passed by the lower house, which is controlled by the DPJ-led ruling coalition.
Kan, meanwhile, met with Katsuya Okada, the DPJ's secretary general, and confirmed that the party will impose strict measures, such as expulsion, on members who vote for the motion or intentionally skip voting.
Jun Azumi, Diet affairs chief of the DPJ, told reporters, ''Now is the time for us to make full efforts to help the victims of the disaster, rebuild and bring the nuclear crisis under control. Anyone who would play a part (in supporting the motion) will be dealt with in a strict way.''
Okada indicated in a separate news conference that he wants the motion voted down as soon as possible during the plenary session of the lower house.
''It is not wise to let this issue drag on,'' Okada said.
In the northeastern city of Aomori, Tanigaki said during a stump speech for Sunday's Aomori gubernatorial election that the Kan administration can no longer function and make headway in reconstruction efforts.
''It is necessary for us to demonstrate our will to take over'' the handling of reconstruction, Tanigaki said. He has said that Kan's government will face a no-confidence motion if the second extra budget for fiscal 2011 is not submitted to parliament before it adjourns on June 22.
The two opposition parties also agreed during Monday's meeting between LDP Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara and his New Komeito counterpart Yoshihisa Inoue to call on other opposition parties to join them in presenting the motion, the lawmakers said.
The opposition Japanese Communist Party will support the motion but will not jointly submit it with the LDP and New Komeito, according to Tadayoshi Ichida, the JCP's secretary general.
Ichida said at a news conference that the LDP, which held power almost without interruption until the DPJ took over in 2009, shares the blame for pursuing nuclear power.
