ID :
165639
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 14:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/165639
The shortlink copeid
Ozawa backs DPJ rebels' actions in boycotting budget vote
TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo - Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa said Thursday that the 16 DPJ members who recently boycotted a parliamentary vote on the budget were perfectly entitled to act as they saw fit on the issue.
The lawmakers ''acted on their own judgment as Diet lawmakers so others have no business or right'' to tell them what to do, Ozawa told a news conference via the Internet.
The 16, all known to be close to Ozawa, did not participate in the vote on the fiscal 2011 budget in the lower house earlier this week and were subsequently punished by the party for their actions.
Their attempt to defend the party's pledges at the 2009 general election was one kind of perspective, Ozawa said in referring to the DPJ's plan to look into reviewing these pledges -- a move the DPJ rebels have cited as the reason for their revolt.
Ozawa also took a jab at the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is the DPJ leader, saying, ''More than Mr. Kan or anyone else in the party, I wish to see Democratic Party of Japan administrations succeed.''
But he expressed his displeasure at the notion that the current government is even worse than those of the Liberal Democratic Party, which is now the main opposition party after being ousted from power in the August 2009 general election.
The Kan government has been struggling with low public support and intraparty power games within the DPJ, while facing pressure from opposition parties to quit or call a general election.
The lawmakers ''acted on their own judgment as Diet lawmakers so others have no business or right'' to tell them what to do, Ozawa told a news conference via the Internet.
The 16, all known to be close to Ozawa, did not participate in the vote on the fiscal 2011 budget in the lower house earlier this week and were subsequently punished by the party for their actions.
Their attempt to defend the party's pledges at the 2009 general election was one kind of perspective, Ozawa said in referring to the DPJ's plan to look into reviewing these pledges -- a move the DPJ rebels have cited as the reason for their revolt.
Ozawa also took a jab at the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is the DPJ leader, saying, ''More than Mr. Kan or anyone else in the party, I wish to see Democratic Party of Japan administrations succeed.''
But he expressed his displeasure at the notion that the current government is even worse than those of the Liberal Democratic Party, which is now the main opposition party after being ousted from power in the August 2009 general election.
The Kan government has been struggling with low public support and intraparty power games within the DPJ, while facing pressure from opposition parties to quit or call a general election.
