Hatoyama, Okada face off in debate on eve of DPJ leadership election+

TOKYO, May 15 Kyodo -
On the eve of a closely watched leadership election for the main opposition
Democratic Party of Japan, party heavyweights Yukio Hatoyama and Katsuya Okada
on Friday faced off in a public debate, in which they ended up highlighting the
party's solidarity.

Saturday's race is crucial as the winner may become Japan's next leader if the
party wins a national election that must be held by October, but no tense
debate was seen, as the DPJ stalwarts rather bid to underline the unity of the
party that has struggled with internal squabbling caused by a scandal involving
a close aide to resigning leader Ichiro Ozawa.
In the debate held at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, DPJ Vice
President Okada called afresh for a regime change from the long-dominant
Liberal Democratic Party through the next House of Representatives election,
positioning the party's presidential race as ''a primary contest to choose the
next prime minister.''
Okada, 55, and his rival DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama, 62, stressed that they
shared positions on most issues as they worked hard together to shape the
party's policies over a decade, with both seeking pension reforms, a ban on
political donations and drastic administrative reforms.
The presidential election, in which only DPJ members with Diet seats can cast
ballots, was called quickly following Ozawa's abrupt announcement Monday of his
intention to resign from the post in the wake of the political funds scandal
that led to the indictment of one of his close aides.
Both were cautious about making comments on how to treat Ozawa if they take the
helm, amid speculation that the influential bigwig may continue to control the
DPJ as a backroom fixer, especially under Hatoyama, who had been his right-hand
man.
At the press club, Hatoyama said Ozawa should deserve credit for his
contributions to leading the often fractious party to a landslide victory in
the July 2007 House of Councillors election.
Since declaring his bid to run in the election Thursday, however, Hatoyama has
also repeatedly said his envisioned regime will not be a ''dummy'' one that
Ozawa will control from behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, Okada, who has kept his distance from Ozawa and has pursued boosting
transparency in political donations, only said he hopes to utilize Ozawa's
capacity as a ''campaigner'' in some way.
But the two were divided over the consumption tax issue. Okada said there is a
need to start discussions immediately on the possibility of raising the sales
tax to realize pension reforms amid an aging society, while Hatoyama said that
such discussions are not desirable at a time when the economy is faltering.
Hatoyama, whose grandfather Ichiro Hatoyama was a former prime minister, has so
far secured broader support within the party including members of the largest
faction led by Ozawa, while Okada, a former bureaucrat with the central
government, enjoys higher popularity in public polls.
Hatoyama has a particularly strong backing among upper house lawmakers, many of
whom won their seats in the 2007 election under Ozawa.
Later in the evening, the two candidates made appeals to the general public in
a Tokyo stump speech, as individual voters -- although they do not have the
right to vote in the party's election -- are the ones to determine which party
should run the country in the next election.
A housewife in her 40s who was listening to their speeches, said, ''I like Mr.
Okada, but first of all, I don't expect much from the DPJ,'' citing that the
party often lacks unity.
A 65-year-old Buddhist priest said, ''Both Mr. Okada and Mr. Hatoyama look
sincere, and at least better than Prime Minister (Taro) Aso.''
The lower house election must be held by October, as terms of its members are
set to expire Sept. 10.
==Kyodo
2009-05-15 21:2