ID :
77740
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 15:22
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/77740
The shortlink copeid
DPJ begins preparations to launch new gov`t
TOKYO, Aug. 31 Kyodo -
Democratic Party of Japan President Yukio Hatoyama began talks with other party
executives Sunday on forming a new administration, including Cabinet
appointments, as his party won a landslide victory in the general election.
For the post of chief Cabinet secretary, either DPJ Acting President Naoto Kan
or Secretary General Katsuya Okada is likely to be appointed, according to DPJ
members.
The DPJ also plans to hold negotiations with members of its two opposition
allies -- the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party -- as early as
Monday on establishing a coalition government, the members said.
On Sunday night, Hatoyama told a press conference the DPJ will establish a new
ministerial post in the Cabinet for the National Strategy Bureau, a
policymaking body it plans to establish, and tap a person in a key party post
such as the policy chief to serve as the minister.
On appointments for a DPJ-led Cabinet, Hatoyama, who is poised to become
Japan's next prime minister, said, ''We are not in an environment where we have
to decide (on the appointments) so hastily.''
''I have a plan in mind, but nothing is certain yet,'' he added.
Hatoyama is expected to be elected as prime minister in a special Diet session
set to be convened in the week from Sept. 14, and the new leader will likely
finish his Cabinet appointments by Sept. 18.
''I will not decide on some of the appointments first, but will decide on all
of them at once,'' he said.
If the transition of power goes smoothly, Hatoyama will visit the United States
in late September to attend the U.N. General Assembly and the Group of 20
financial summit, and will hold talks with his counterparts such as U.S.
President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the events.
The new government will launch at its first Cabinet meeting a National Strategy
Office, which will be the precursor to the National Strategy Bureau that will
map out budgets and basic foreign and national security policies.
The bureau is expected to embark on the modification of the large-scale extra
budget for fiscal 2009 adopted by Prime Minister Taro Aso's administration to
implement his economic stimulus steps.
Slamming the LDP-led government for wasting taxpayers' money, the DPJ has said
that it will secure funds by modifying the budget. It also plans to submit a
second supplementary budget for the current fiscal year to halt what it
determines to be unnecessary.
Concerning the party's leadership, Hatoyama, who assumed the post in May, has
said that he hopes to give a top post to his predecessor Ichiro Ozawa, who as
an election strategist led the party to an expected landslide victory.
Ozawa on Sunday responded that he would follow whatever decision is made by
Hatoyama, according to the DPJ members.
Some DPJ lawmakers, however, are concerned that the former DPJ president's
influence within the party could increase and lead to a dual power structure
under both Ozawa and Hatoyama.
On the envisioned coalition government with the two minor opposition parties,
Hatoyama has indicated that if his party wins, some seats in a DPJ-led Cabinet
would go to the SDP and PNP.
Against the backdrop of the landslide victory by the DPJ, the two minor parties
fear that their influence in the coalition government could be limited.
The DPJ, which has called for politics less dependent on bureaucrats, has
pledged to include 100 ruling Diet members in the government as senior vice
ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
But concerns persist over the DPJ's ability to govern as the party is set to
have a large number of inexperienced lawmakers.
''I'm afraid that a public backlash will ensue if we fail to sail smoothly amid
high public expectations of us,'' one senior DPJ official said.
As part of its transition process, Hatoyama pointed to the need to discuss risk
management steps with the outgoing Aso administration related to such threats
as the flu epidemic and earthquakes.
The party will also prepare to launch one of its key bodies, the Administrative
Reform Council, designed to watch over wasteful spending and irregularities
among central government bureaucrats.
The National Strategy Bureau and the Administrative Reform Council will be
formally established after the party passes amendments to related laws at an
extraordinary Diet session to be convened as early as in October.
As for specific campaign promises, the DPJ aims to place priority on its key
pledges such as 26,000 yen in monthly child allowances and eliminating
expressway tolls and incorporate them in a budget for the next fiscal year
starting April 2010, which it is set to compile by the end of this year.
''In the campaign, these steps drew overwhelming public support,'' said one
senior DPJ official in charge of policy research.
==Kyodo
Democratic Party of Japan President Yukio Hatoyama began talks with other party
executives Sunday on forming a new administration, including Cabinet
appointments, as his party won a landslide victory in the general election.
For the post of chief Cabinet secretary, either DPJ Acting President Naoto Kan
or Secretary General Katsuya Okada is likely to be appointed, according to DPJ
members.
The DPJ also plans to hold negotiations with members of its two opposition
allies -- the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party -- as early as
Monday on establishing a coalition government, the members said.
On Sunday night, Hatoyama told a press conference the DPJ will establish a new
ministerial post in the Cabinet for the National Strategy Bureau, a
policymaking body it plans to establish, and tap a person in a key party post
such as the policy chief to serve as the minister.
On appointments for a DPJ-led Cabinet, Hatoyama, who is poised to become
Japan's next prime minister, said, ''We are not in an environment where we have
to decide (on the appointments) so hastily.''
''I have a plan in mind, but nothing is certain yet,'' he added.
Hatoyama is expected to be elected as prime minister in a special Diet session
set to be convened in the week from Sept. 14, and the new leader will likely
finish his Cabinet appointments by Sept. 18.
''I will not decide on some of the appointments first, but will decide on all
of them at once,'' he said.
If the transition of power goes smoothly, Hatoyama will visit the United States
in late September to attend the U.N. General Assembly and the Group of 20
financial summit, and will hold talks with his counterparts such as U.S.
President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the events.
The new government will launch at its first Cabinet meeting a National Strategy
Office, which will be the precursor to the National Strategy Bureau that will
map out budgets and basic foreign and national security policies.
The bureau is expected to embark on the modification of the large-scale extra
budget for fiscal 2009 adopted by Prime Minister Taro Aso's administration to
implement his economic stimulus steps.
Slamming the LDP-led government for wasting taxpayers' money, the DPJ has said
that it will secure funds by modifying the budget. It also plans to submit a
second supplementary budget for the current fiscal year to halt what it
determines to be unnecessary.
Concerning the party's leadership, Hatoyama, who assumed the post in May, has
said that he hopes to give a top post to his predecessor Ichiro Ozawa, who as
an election strategist led the party to an expected landslide victory.
Ozawa on Sunday responded that he would follow whatever decision is made by
Hatoyama, according to the DPJ members.
Some DPJ lawmakers, however, are concerned that the former DPJ president's
influence within the party could increase and lead to a dual power structure
under both Ozawa and Hatoyama.
On the envisioned coalition government with the two minor opposition parties,
Hatoyama has indicated that if his party wins, some seats in a DPJ-led Cabinet
would go to the SDP and PNP.
Against the backdrop of the landslide victory by the DPJ, the two minor parties
fear that their influence in the coalition government could be limited.
The DPJ, which has called for politics less dependent on bureaucrats, has
pledged to include 100 ruling Diet members in the government as senior vice
ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
But concerns persist over the DPJ's ability to govern as the party is set to
have a large number of inexperienced lawmakers.
''I'm afraid that a public backlash will ensue if we fail to sail smoothly amid
high public expectations of us,'' one senior DPJ official said.
As part of its transition process, Hatoyama pointed to the need to discuss risk
management steps with the outgoing Aso administration related to such threats
as the flu epidemic and earthquakes.
The party will also prepare to launch one of its key bodies, the Administrative
Reform Council, designed to watch over wasteful spending and irregularities
among central government bureaucrats.
The National Strategy Bureau and the Administrative Reform Council will be
formally established after the party passes amendments to related laws at an
extraordinary Diet session to be convened as early as in October.
As for specific campaign promises, the DPJ aims to place priority on its key
pledges such as 26,000 yen in monthly child allowances and eliminating
expressway tolls and incorporate them in a budget for the next fiscal year
starting April 2010, which it is set to compile by the end of this year.
''In the campaign, these steps drew overwhelming public support,'' said one
senior DPJ official in charge of policy research.
==Kyodo
