LDP embarks on forming campaign policies for impending general election+

TOKYO, June 9 Kyodo - The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday embarked on procedures to map out its campaign platform for the House of Representatives election, which could be called anytime over the next few months.

The LDP is expected to incorporate into its campaign platform plans to raise
the consumption tax, restrict hereditary candidacies and curtail the number of
Diet seats and to also highlight what it has achieved and what it will be able
to do as a responsible ruling party.
LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Kosuke Hori told reporters that details
were not discussed at Tuesday's first meeting of the party's project team and
that the party will ask Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as LDP president,
for his opinions Wednesday.
Under Japan's electoral system in which one of several candidates is chosen in
each constituency, ''What a party leader states will have an extremely
significant bearing (on voters' decisions) and we need to consult (with Aso),''
Hori said after the meeting.
In an attempt to differentiate itself from the main opposition Democratic Party
of Japan, the LDP is likely to mention raising the consumption tax from the
current 5 percent to cover swelling social security costs amid the aging of
society.
Aso has played up the need to lift the sales tax when the economy recovers,
while rival DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama has argued that a tax hike should not
be even discussed for several years amid sluggish economic conditions.
But the LDP is expected to face a bumpy road ahead before finding a consensus
on the consumption tax issue as heavyweight lawmakers such as former LDP
Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa have lashed out against increasing the tax
without proposing fiscal expenditure cuts and administrative reforms.
The party is also expected to include some sort of restrictions on so-called
hereditary candidacies to prevent lawmakers and candidates from inheriting
candidacy or political funds from their family members, but has decided not to
apply any limits until after the next general election.
After Tuesday's meeting, Yoshihide Suga, deputy chairman of the party's
Election Strategy Council, who has taken the lead in advocating restrictions on
hereditary candidacies, told reporters, ''I am still stuck on the idea,'' but
added that the project team's decision hinges on the prime minister.
The DPJ has decided, as a party rule, to prohibit people within the third
degree of kinship to incumbent Diet members from running from their electoral
districts, and to apply the rule for the next election.
==Kyodo