ID :
46962
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 19:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/46962
The shortlink copeid
DPJ's Ozawa demands prime minister's resignation, Aso hits back+
TOKYO, Feb. 22 Kyodo - Main opposition Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa said Sunday struggling Prime Minister Taro Aso should face a parliamentary censure motion and demanded that Aso resign along with his Cabinet as the public has no confidence in him.
But Aso, who doubles as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's president, hit
back during a speech in Aomori Prefecture, stressing that he ''cannot allow the
DPJ to take the helm of the administration.''
''No party other than the LDP can work on measures to stimulate the economy,''
said Aso, who is struggling amid low support ratings and has received another
blow with the recent resignation of Shoichi Nakagawa as finance minister.
The DPJ, the largest party in the opposition-controlled House of Councillors,
plans to allow Aso to achieve his top priority of enacting the fiscal 2009
budget and related bills by the end of March, while urging him to dissolve the
House of Representatives at an early date for a general election that must be
held by the fall.
But the enactment of the budget may accelerate moves within the LDP to replace
Aso as party leader.
Speaking to reporters in Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture, Ozawa said, ''I think (Mr.
Aso) is a prime minister who deserves to be censured. It is obvious that he has
completely lost public confidence.''
On the possible passage of a censure motion in the upper house, Ozawa said he
is leaving ''Diet management up to (the DPJ's) secretary general, Diet affairs
chief and others'' and indicated that he will make a final decision after
watching the situation in the Diet and consultations with other opposition
parties.
Under the Constitution, if the more powerful lower house passes a no-confidence
motion, the Cabinet has to resign en masse, unless the lower chamber is
dissolved within 10 days. But a censure motion passed by the upper chamber is
nonbinding.
Aso's predecessor Yasuo Fukuda did not resign as prime minister when he faced
an upper house censure motion last year. But in 1998, then Defense Agency chief
Fukushiro Nukaga was forced to resign about a month after the upper house
approved a censure motion against him over a scandal involving the agency.
With Aso expected to leave for the United States on Monday and to return
Wednesday, the ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party plans to
have the budget approved by the lower house Budget Committee controlled by the
ruling parties on Thursday.
The parties also plan to have the budget approved by the lower house on Friday
at the latest and to send it to the upper chamber.
Under the Constitution, the budget would be enacted within 30 days of being
sent to the upper house even if the upper chamber rejects it or does not hold a
vote on it.
This means that the fiscal 2009 budget will be approved by the Diet by late March.
==Kyodo
2009-02-22 21:38:26
But Aso, who doubles as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's president, hit
back during a speech in Aomori Prefecture, stressing that he ''cannot allow the
DPJ to take the helm of the administration.''
''No party other than the LDP can work on measures to stimulate the economy,''
said Aso, who is struggling amid low support ratings and has received another
blow with the recent resignation of Shoichi Nakagawa as finance minister.
The DPJ, the largest party in the opposition-controlled House of Councillors,
plans to allow Aso to achieve his top priority of enacting the fiscal 2009
budget and related bills by the end of March, while urging him to dissolve the
House of Representatives at an early date for a general election that must be
held by the fall.
But the enactment of the budget may accelerate moves within the LDP to replace
Aso as party leader.
Speaking to reporters in Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture, Ozawa said, ''I think (Mr.
Aso) is a prime minister who deserves to be censured. It is obvious that he has
completely lost public confidence.''
On the possible passage of a censure motion in the upper house, Ozawa said he
is leaving ''Diet management up to (the DPJ's) secretary general, Diet affairs
chief and others'' and indicated that he will make a final decision after
watching the situation in the Diet and consultations with other opposition
parties.
Under the Constitution, if the more powerful lower house passes a no-confidence
motion, the Cabinet has to resign en masse, unless the lower chamber is
dissolved within 10 days. But a censure motion passed by the upper chamber is
nonbinding.
Aso's predecessor Yasuo Fukuda did not resign as prime minister when he faced
an upper house censure motion last year. But in 1998, then Defense Agency chief
Fukushiro Nukaga was forced to resign about a month after the upper house
approved a censure motion against him over a scandal involving the agency.
With Aso expected to leave for the United States on Monday and to return
Wednesday, the ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party plans to
have the budget approved by the lower house Budget Committee controlled by the
ruling parties on Thursday.
The parties also plan to have the budget approved by the lower house on Friday
at the latest and to send it to the upper chamber.
Under the Constitution, the budget would be enacted within 30 days of being
sent to the upper house even if the upper chamber rejects it or does not hold a
vote on it.
This means that the fiscal 2009 budget will be approved by the Diet by late March.
==Kyodo
2009-02-22 21:38:26
