ID :
161903
Thu, 02/17/2011 - 17:06
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/161903
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Ozawa allies threaten to leave DPJ Diet group, undermining Kan leadership
TOKYO (KYODO) - Prime Minister Naoto Kan faced a new headache Thursday in ensuring party unity necessary for passing key bills as 16 members of his ruling party threatened to leave the party's parliamentary group, apparently in protest at a plan to punish veteran member Ichiro Ozawa over a funds scandal.
Their move caused a stir within the Democratic Party of Japan as it could undermine Kan's leadership and embolden the opposition camp in its attack on the government at a time when the premier is trying to woo opposition parties to help him pass fiscal 2011 budget-related bills through the divided parliament.
On top of courting the opposition bloc, Kan now has to try to keep the DPJ members' votes intact.
Expressing displeasure over the move, Kan, who is DPJ president, told reporters, ''I absolutely cannot comprehend it.''
The action by the 16 party members supporting Ozawa was quickly nullified by DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada who said the party will not allow them to leave the DPJ's lower house parliamentary group.
''Under party rules, DPJ lawmakers cannot leave the party's parliamentary groups, and since they must be aware of this, it cannot be helped if it is seen as a mere show,'' Okada said in a news conference.
Okada also ruled out the possibility that the party will punish the rebellious members and urged the 16 to behave in a ''responsible'' way.
The allies of Ozawa, who has denied any wrongdoing over the scandal and vowed to fight it out in court, also said they will not leave the party.
Leaving the group known as the ''Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents'' which is formed by the DPJ in the House of Representatives with a few independents is different from leaving the party.
As for the bills to implement the budget for the year starting in April, Koichiro Watanabe, speaking at a press conference on behalf of the 16 pro-Ozawa members, did not rule out the possibility of refusing to back them, adding pressure on Kan.
While the budget can ultimately clear the Diet with approval by the DPJ-dominated House of Representatives alone, its related bills must also pass the opposition-controlled House of Councillors or win support by a two-thirds majority, which the DPJ lacks, in a lower house revote.
On top of submitting in writing to the party their intention to leave the parliamentary group, Watanabe and the 15 others also notified the lower house secretariat of their intention to form a new grouping in the 480-seat chamber.
They ostensibly denied their action had anything to do with the party leadership's plan to suspend Ozawa who has been indicted over false funds reporting, saying it stems from what they see as Kan's lack of leadership in managing the administration and making good on the party's pledges.
The action was welcomed by Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, who dubbed it ''a prelude to the destruction of the DPJ.''
''We cannot let the Kan administration take the helm of Japan if they cannot even control their party,'' said Tanigaki, who once again called for an election at an early date.
Ichiro Aisawa, the LDP's Diet affairs chief, also voiced hope that the LDP could ''cooperate'' with these lawmakers to topple the Kan government.
In yet another blow coming from within DPJ, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, former internal affairs minister known as a close ally of Ozawa, sharply criticized the premier during an interview with a monthly publication due to hit the stores soon, sources familiar with the matter said.
Haraguchi was quoted by the publication as saying the premier has lost the point of a change in government and said he is ''not a comrade if he hangs onto the status quo or vested interests.''
The latest development was likely triggered by the DPJ leadership's move toward suspending the party membership of Ozawa for being indicted on Jan. 31 over alleged false reporting of his political funds. The suspension is likely to remain until his trial, expected to begin in September, is over.
The DPJ's ethics committee plans to offer Ozawa an opportunity to explain the scandal Tuesday before the party makes the final decision, DPJ lawmakers said.
Ozawa, a member of the House of Representatives, is expected to object to the proposed suspension when he attends a meeting of the committee. A suspended member is not allowed to attend formal party functions and could fail to get on the party's ticket in elections.
Their move caused a stir within the Democratic Party of Japan as it could undermine Kan's leadership and embolden the opposition camp in its attack on the government at a time when the premier is trying to woo opposition parties to help him pass fiscal 2011 budget-related bills through the divided parliament.
On top of courting the opposition bloc, Kan now has to try to keep the DPJ members' votes intact.
Expressing displeasure over the move, Kan, who is DPJ president, told reporters, ''I absolutely cannot comprehend it.''
The action by the 16 party members supporting Ozawa was quickly nullified by DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada who said the party will not allow them to leave the DPJ's lower house parliamentary group.
''Under party rules, DPJ lawmakers cannot leave the party's parliamentary groups, and since they must be aware of this, it cannot be helped if it is seen as a mere show,'' Okada said in a news conference.
Okada also ruled out the possibility that the party will punish the rebellious members and urged the 16 to behave in a ''responsible'' way.
The allies of Ozawa, who has denied any wrongdoing over the scandal and vowed to fight it out in court, also said they will not leave the party.
Leaving the group known as the ''Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents'' which is formed by the DPJ in the House of Representatives with a few independents is different from leaving the party.
As for the bills to implement the budget for the year starting in April, Koichiro Watanabe, speaking at a press conference on behalf of the 16 pro-Ozawa members, did not rule out the possibility of refusing to back them, adding pressure on Kan.
While the budget can ultimately clear the Diet with approval by the DPJ-dominated House of Representatives alone, its related bills must also pass the opposition-controlled House of Councillors or win support by a two-thirds majority, which the DPJ lacks, in a lower house revote.
On top of submitting in writing to the party their intention to leave the parliamentary group, Watanabe and the 15 others also notified the lower house secretariat of their intention to form a new grouping in the 480-seat chamber.
They ostensibly denied their action had anything to do with the party leadership's plan to suspend Ozawa who has been indicted over false funds reporting, saying it stems from what they see as Kan's lack of leadership in managing the administration and making good on the party's pledges.
The action was welcomed by Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, who dubbed it ''a prelude to the destruction of the DPJ.''
''We cannot let the Kan administration take the helm of Japan if they cannot even control their party,'' said Tanigaki, who once again called for an election at an early date.
Ichiro Aisawa, the LDP's Diet affairs chief, also voiced hope that the LDP could ''cooperate'' with these lawmakers to topple the Kan government.
In yet another blow coming from within DPJ, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, former internal affairs minister known as a close ally of Ozawa, sharply criticized the premier during an interview with a monthly publication due to hit the stores soon, sources familiar with the matter said.
Haraguchi was quoted by the publication as saying the premier has lost the point of a change in government and said he is ''not a comrade if he hangs onto the status quo or vested interests.''
The latest development was likely triggered by the DPJ leadership's move toward suspending the party membership of Ozawa for being indicted on Jan. 31 over alleged false reporting of his political funds. The suspension is likely to remain until his trial, expected to begin in September, is over.
The DPJ's ethics committee plans to offer Ozawa an opportunity to explain the scandal Tuesday before the party makes the final decision, DPJ lawmakers said.
Ozawa, a member of the House of Representatives, is expected to object to the proposed suspension when he attends a meeting of the committee. A suspended member is not allowed to attend formal party functions and could fail to get on the party's ticket in elections.
