ID :
125373
Tue, 06/01/2010 - 13:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/125373
The shortlink copeid
Hatoyama seeks to stay, but calls for his resignation mount in DPJ+
TOKYO, May 31 Kyodo -
Embattled Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reiterated Monday his resolve to remain
in power, while calls for his resignation mounted even within his ruling
Democratic Party of Japan due to falls in his Cabinet's support rates in
opinion polls ahead of the forthcoming House of Councillors election.
In crucial Diet action, the Social Democratic Party also made clear it will
side with the opposition camp after deciding to leave the ruling coalition due
to its opposition to an agreement between Japan and the United States to
relocate a key U.S. military base within Okinawa Prefecture.
The SDP confirmed in an executive meeting that it would support a no-confidence
motion and a censure motion against Hatoyama if the opposition camp submits one
to the House of Representatives and the upper house, respectively.
While the ruling camp-dominated lower house is unlikely to pass the binding
motion that would require the premier to resign or call a snap election, the
upper house could pass a motion that may, though unbinding, increase the
pressure on him, if several ruling party lawmakers support it or skip voting.
''I understand I have caused problems,'' Hatoyama told reporters after holding
talks with other DPJ leaders, including Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. ''But I
want to continue to work for the sake of the Japanese people.''
Hatoyama, president of the DPJ, is under growing pressure to step down to take
responsibility for the current political situation. In a Kyodo News survey
conducted over the weekend, 51.2 percent of randomly selected respondents said
Hatoyama should resign as prime minister compared with 44.4 percent who said he
does not need to step down. Public support for his Cabinet hit a new low at
19.1 percent.
DPJ Senior Vice Secretary General Yoshimitsu Takashima told reporters there are
''overwhelming'' calls for the premier to resign among upper house DPJ members
in a remark taken by some observers as an effective demand for Hatoyama's
stepping down.
''I acknowledge that we are facing a very serious situation,'' said Takashima,
an upper house DPJ heavyweight, citing grave concerns among upper house
colleagues whose seats will be up for grabs in the election expected for July
amid sliding support rates for Hatoyama's government.
Echoing Takashima, Toshio Ogawa, in charge of DPJ publicity, said in a party
meeting, ''If things do not change, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will have no
choice but to resign to take responsibility.''
Earlier in the day, Hatoyama described the SDP's decision Sunday to quit his
coalition government as ''really disappointing'' but added he will strive to
''overcome this situation with belief (in my policies).''
Hatoyama had expressed hope that the SDP would remain in the tripartite
coalition even after he dismissed SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima as consumer
affairs minister on Friday for refusing to sign a Cabinet resolution to
relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture.
Also Monday, Fukushima said the SDP, which has called for the base to be moved
out of the southern prefecture or even Japan, would find it difficult to oppose
a no-confidence or censure motion against the DPJ if the opposition camp
submits one to the Diet.
Currently, in the House of Councillors, the DPJ and its ruling partner, the
People's New Party, have 122 lawmakers, narrowly surpassing the 121 needed for
a majority in the 242-seat upper house. Including two independent lawmakers
siding with the ruling camp, the ruling parties' figure goes up to 124.
Meanwhile, there are 111 lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party and other
opposition parties, including nonparty lawmakers siding with the opposition
camp. If the five-member SDP is included, the number will go up to 116.
If Keiko Itokazu, one of the two independent lawmakers siding with the ruling
camp and a lawmaker of Okinawa Prefecture, supports a censure motion against
the premier due to opposition his government's Futenma relocation plan, the gap
between the ruling and opposition blocs will narrow further.
In the House of Representatives, the DPJ and the People's New Party account for
313 of the total 480 seats, so that even if the opposition camp submits a
no-confidence motion, it would be difficult to have it be passed.
The SDP's Fukushima said Monday farewell to staff at the Consumer Affairs
Agency, where she said she ''had to leave office against her will'' and noted
she feels bitterly disappointed at Hatoyama's decision to fire her.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet accepted the resignation of senior vice transport
minister Kiyomi Tsujimoto, an SDP lower house lawmaker. She submitted a letter
of resignation earlier Monday to Seiji Maehara, minister of land,
infrastructure, transport and tourism, following the SDP's decision to quit the
coalition.
''I would like to cooperate with the DPJ in a different way -- this time in the
form of putting pressure on it to improve its policies,'' said Tsujimoto, who
was one of two senior vice transport ministers.
Tsujimoto worked on restructuring Japan Airlines' operations while in office.
==Kyodo
Embattled Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reiterated Monday his resolve to remain
in power, while calls for his resignation mounted even within his ruling
Democratic Party of Japan due to falls in his Cabinet's support rates in
opinion polls ahead of the forthcoming House of Councillors election.
In crucial Diet action, the Social Democratic Party also made clear it will
side with the opposition camp after deciding to leave the ruling coalition due
to its opposition to an agreement between Japan and the United States to
relocate a key U.S. military base within Okinawa Prefecture.
The SDP confirmed in an executive meeting that it would support a no-confidence
motion and a censure motion against Hatoyama if the opposition camp submits one
to the House of Representatives and the upper house, respectively.
While the ruling camp-dominated lower house is unlikely to pass the binding
motion that would require the premier to resign or call a snap election, the
upper house could pass a motion that may, though unbinding, increase the
pressure on him, if several ruling party lawmakers support it or skip voting.
''I understand I have caused problems,'' Hatoyama told reporters after holding
talks with other DPJ leaders, including Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. ''But I
want to continue to work for the sake of the Japanese people.''
Hatoyama, president of the DPJ, is under growing pressure to step down to take
responsibility for the current political situation. In a Kyodo News survey
conducted over the weekend, 51.2 percent of randomly selected respondents said
Hatoyama should resign as prime minister compared with 44.4 percent who said he
does not need to step down. Public support for his Cabinet hit a new low at
19.1 percent.
DPJ Senior Vice Secretary General Yoshimitsu Takashima told reporters there are
''overwhelming'' calls for the premier to resign among upper house DPJ members
in a remark taken by some observers as an effective demand for Hatoyama's
stepping down.
''I acknowledge that we are facing a very serious situation,'' said Takashima,
an upper house DPJ heavyweight, citing grave concerns among upper house
colleagues whose seats will be up for grabs in the election expected for July
amid sliding support rates for Hatoyama's government.
Echoing Takashima, Toshio Ogawa, in charge of DPJ publicity, said in a party
meeting, ''If things do not change, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will have no
choice but to resign to take responsibility.''
Earlier in the day, Hatoyama described the SDP's decision Sunday to quit his
coalition government as ''really disappointing'' but added he will strive to
''overcome this situation with belief (in my policies).''
Hatoyama had expressed hope that the SDP would remain in the tripartite
coalition even after he dismissed SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima as consumer
affairs minister on Friday for refusing to sign a Cabinet resolution to
relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture.
Also Monday, Fukushima said the SDP, which has called for the base to be moved
out of the southern prefecture or even Japan, would find it difficult to oppose
a no-confidence or censure motion against the DPJ if the opposition camp
submits one to the Diet.
Currently, in the House of Councillors, the DPJ and its ruling partner, the
People's New Party, have 122 lawmakers, narrowly surpassing the 121 needed for
a majority in the 242-seat upper house. Including two independent lawmakers
siding with the ruling camp, the ruling parties' figure goes up to 124.
Meanwhile, there are 111 lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party and other
opposition parties, including nonparty lawmakers siding with the opposition
camp. If the five-member SDP is included, the number will go up to 116.
If Keiko Itokazu, one of the two independent lawmakers siding with the ruling
camp and a lawmaker of Okinawa Prefecture, supports a censure motion against
the premier due to opposition his government's Futenma relocation plan, the gap
between the ruling and opposition blocs will narrow further.
In the House of Representatives, the DPJ and the People's New Party account for
313 of the total 480 seats, so that even if the opposition camp submits a
no-confidence motion, it would be difficult to have it be passed.
The SDP's Fukushima said Monday farewell to staff at the Consumer Affairs
Agency, where she said she ''had to leave office against her will'' and noted
she feels bitterly disappointed at Hatoyama's decision to fire her.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet accepted the resignation of senior vice transport
minister Kiyomi Tsujimoto, an SDP lower house lawmaker. She submitted a letter
of resignation earlier Monday to Seiji Maehara, minister of land,
infrastructure, transport and tourism, following the SDP's decision to quit the
coalition.
''I would like to cooperate with the DPJ in a different way -- this time in the
form of putting pressure on it to improve its policies,'' said Tsujimoto, who
was one of two senior vice transport ministers.
Tsujimoto worked on restructuring Japan Airlines' operations while in office.
==Kyodo
