Ex-health minister Masuzoe launches new party+

TOKYO, April 23 Kyodo -
Popular former health minister Yoichi Masuzoe launched a new party Friday in a
bid to help sweep the ruling Democratic Party of Japan out of power, a day
after leaving the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party in the run-up to
this summer's upper house election.
But despite his aim of catalyzing a major political realignment with his party
winning some seats in the coming election, Masuzoe failed to present any policy
to accentuate its differences from either the DPJ or LDP, as the policies are
almost the same as those pursued by the major parties.
In announcing the launch of the six-member party, Masuzoe, whose name often
tops opinion polls as the best candidate for prime minister, said public
distrust in politics is ''at a critical point,'' and, ''We must overcome
stagnation and create a truly open form of politics.''
Even though people are disappointed with the DPJ, which achieved a historic
change of government last year, they ''don't expect a comeback by the LDP
either'' as the party remains swayed by factional dynamics and old-fashioned
politics, the 61-year-old said at a press conference.
''Our biggest enemy is DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa'' who is said to
wield the real power behind the Hatoyama Cabinet, Masuzoe said in an interview
with Kyodo News later Friday.
But the former associate professor of international politics at the University
of Tokyo downplayed the possibility of tying up with the LDP, even if his
ultimate goal is to topple the DPJ.
Named Shinto Kaikaku, literally meaning ''new party for reform,'' the party
Masuzoe leads will seek to clean up politics, ban in principle donations from
companies and organizations, pull Japan out of deflation, and decentralize
administrative power toward reorganization of a regional structure.
LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki, who Masuzoe criticized for a lack of
leadership and even tried to remove from the top post, told reporters that the
new party's policies ''seem to lack freshness and I can't figure out why they
wanted to form such a party.''
The five other members are Tetsuro Yano, a former state secretary for foreign
affairs who quit the LDP along with Masuzoe on Thursday, another LDP defector
Masakatsu Koike, and three members of the minor opposition Japan Renaissance
Party -- Hideo Watanabe, Hiroyuki Arai and Toshio Yamauchi.
Some political observers said that the party is only a ragtag of politicians
attempting to capitalize on the popularity of Masuzoe to prolong their careers,
noting that some of them do not necessarily share the same views as Masuzoe on
certain issues.
Arai, who became secretary general of the new party, was one of the so-called
''postal rebels'' who opposed the postal privatization bills of then Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2005, while Masuzoe was pursuing further
privatization of postal and banking services at the state-owned Japan Post
group.
Masuzoe said, however, ''We are here because we completely share the same
policy.''
Masuzoe also said he agreed with Arai that the DPJ's ongoing drastic retreat
from the Koizumi reforms, such as an increase in the postal savings cap at
Japan Post, must be halted as it will put pressure on the operations of
private-sector institutions.
Including Masuzoe, the six members are all House of Councillors lawmakers and
the terms of the five except for Masuzoe will expire with the upper house
election, which will most likely be held July 11.
Koike announced he will be listed on the ballot, while Arai, Yamauchi and
Watanabe remained unclear. But Yano, who announced last year his decision not
to run in this year's election, said he has not changed his mind.
In the interview, Masuzoe said he will aim to win a total of 30 seats in the
upcoming election -- 10 in constituencies and 20 under the proportional
representation system. Among possible candidates are some who ran
unsuccessfully on the LDP ticket in last year's House of Representatives
election.
Masuzoe's new party was created by changing the name of the Japan Renaissance
Party.
The new party chief brushed aside criticism that he simply wanted to take
advantage of state subsidies for the party.
''I will teach you ways to do politics in an inexpensive way,'' the former TV
commentator said.
Watanabe defended Masuzoe, arguing that state subsidies are not dubious funds
like corporate donations and that using subsidies is the best way to engage in
clean politics.
Asked if he can maintain the popularity he enjoyed as an LDP lawmaker, Masuzoe
said people would be satisfied once they see him implement the policies he
trumpeted Friday.
A native of Fukuoka and graduate of the University of Tokyo, Masuzoe won his
first Diet seat in the 2001 upper house election and has been serving his
second term since 2007. He served as health, labor and welfare minister for
about two years before the LDP was ousted from power after last summer's
general election.
Some observers argue that Masuzoe effectively had no choice but to leave the
LDP because of strong pressure to do so from party colleagues due to his
repeated criticism of the party leadership.
==Kyodo
2010-04-23 23:41:32


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next