SDP to Back No-Confidence Motion against Hatoyama

Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)--Executives of the Social Democratic
Party decided Monday that the party would vote for a no-confidence or
censure motion against the cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio
Hatoyama.
The move comes one day after the SDP decided to leave the ruling
coalition led by Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan following the
dismissal of SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima from the cabinet for refusing to
sign off on a government plan to keep a key U.S. military base in Okinawa
Prefecture.
The decision to back a motion against Hatoyama, made at a meeting
of SDP parliamentary affairs officials, will be formalized later at party
executive meetings.
Although Fukushima was not present at the meeting, she said earlier
in the day that her party would find it difficult to oppose no-confidence or
censure motion against the Hatoyama cabinet.
In television programs, she said she thinks the Hatoyama government
cannot gain support from Japanese citizens regarding its controversial
relocation plan for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Okinawa.
The SDP leader also urged Hatoyama to resign voluntarily, saying
that the prime minister can no longer conduct the affairs of state after
losing public confidence in his words.
Hatoyama "should make his own decision," she said.
Hatoyama reiterated his intention Monday to stay on as prime
minister, but he faces calls for resignation even from within his DPJ.
Discontent with Hatoyama is particularly strong among DPJ members belonging
to the House of Councillors ahead of an election in summer.
The government at a cabinet meeting Friday adopted the plan to
relocate the U.S. base, now in a crowded part of Ginowan, Okinawa, to the
Henoko coastal area of Nago in the same southernmost prefecture. Hatoyama
backtracked on his pledge during last year's general election campaign to
shift the base off Okinawa.
The SDP, which wants the base moved off Okinawa or out of Japan
altogether, is strongly opposed to the government plan.
Hatoyama dismissed Fukushima as minister for consumer affairs since
she refused to put her signature to the relocation plan at the cabinet
meeting. As a result, the SDP decided Sunday to quit the three-way ruling
coalition.
The departure of the SDP is a blow to the Hatoyama government,
which has already been suffering sagging public support ahead of an Upper
House election, due in part to questions about his leadership qualities.
In the House of Representatives, the powerful lower chamber of
parliament, the pair of the DPJ and the People's New Party holds a
comfortable majority even after the departure of the SDP.
But in the Upper House, the ruling bloc barely keeps its majority,
holding 122 of the total of 242 seats, down from 127 before the SDP dropped
out.
A nonbinding censure motion against Hatoyama may be approved in the
Upper House if some DPJ lawmakers revolt and vote for such a motion.
Speaking to reporters, Hatoyama said he intends to weather the
storm, stressing that all he can do is making utmost efforts for the nation.
Hatoyama said he is deeply sorry that the SDP has decided to quit
the coalition. The SDP and the other coalition members have differences over
basic points in security policy, he also said.
At a news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said
he thinks that the prime minister bears responsibility for the confusion
over the Futenma issue and the SDP's departure from the ruling coalition.


Attachments:
untitled-[2] 5 k [ text/html ] Download | View
Delete & Prev | Delete & Next