ID :
79110
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 14:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/79110
The shortlink copeid
DPJ's coalition talks bog down due to lingering gaps+
TOKYO, Sept. 8 Kyodo - The Democratic Party of Japan failed to reach an accord on forming a coalition with two small parties Tuesday, as their talks ran into rough waters due to gaps in their positions over foreign and national security issues and how to
control the coalition.
The executives of the DPJ and its two allies -- the Social Democratic Party and
the People's New Party -- will meet again Wednesday after holding talks for
some two hours Tuesday evening following the failed negotiations earlier in the
day among the parties' policy chiefs.
Speaking to reporters after the talks, however, DPJ Secretary General Katsuya
Okada stressed, ''It is not that we see differences of opinion'' and ''it is
unlikely'' that the parties will not be able to forge an agreement on
Wednesday.
Gaps remain between the DPJ and SDP in particular over national security matters.
The SDP, which advocates preservation of the pacifist Constitution, is
demanding that their coalition deal must clarify that the incoming government
would seek to reexamine a Japan-U.S. agreement on the realignment of U.S.
military forces in Japan.
The DPJ has been cautious about adopting a tougher stance toward the United
States, as its chief Yukio Hatoyama is set to meet with U.S. President Barack
Obama later this month, although the party has also said it would pursue a more
independent policy against Washington than the Liberal Democratic Party-New
Komeito coalition.
Concerning how to coordinate the policies of the three parties in the coalition
government, the executives agreed to endorse a DPJ plan to do the task in a
Cabinet committee, which will be set up within the Cabinet involving the chiefs
or other executives of the three parties.
The SDP requested that some of its members should also go into the National
Strategy Bureau, a planned key policymaking body to map out budgets and basic
policies, but the DPJ apparently turned it down.
The SDP is scheduled to hold a meeting Wednesday morning to discuss what has
been talked about in the executives' meeting.
Once an agreement is reached among policy chiefs and executives, DPJ President
Hatoyama, who is poised to become Japan's next prime minister, is set to meet
with his SDP and PNP counterparts -- Mizuho Fukushima and Shizuka Kamei, to
make the accord a formal one.
The policy chiefs met twice Tuesday and were scheduled to meet for a third time
in the late afternoon, but it was canceled at the last minute. Their talks are
also expected to resume Wednesday.
The SDP's policy chief, Tomoko Abe, told reporters after the first round of the
talks that the DPJ modified a draft for their coalition deal to reflect some of
the party's requests, including one concerning the U.S. force relocation plan.
But SDP Secretary General Yasumasa Shigeno separately said later that the
parties remain largely divided over the ''so-called Okinawa issue,'' referring
to the relocation of U.S. military facilities in the southernmost Japanese
prefecture.
The DPJ won 308 seats of the 480-member House of Representatives in the Aug. 30
election, trouncing the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party, but still needs
to tie up with the two parties to retain control in the House of Councillors.
The three parties released a common policy platform ahead of the general
election, only focusing on such areas as welfare, employment and social
security, but pushed back discussions of the national security issue until
after the election.
If the coalition agreement is formalized, Hatoyama is expected to ask the two
leaders to join his envisioned Cabinet.
''Unless I go into the Cabinet, I won't be able to make opinions. I have no
choice,'' PNP chief Kamei told reporters Tuesday morning, suggesting he will
accept an offer if there is one.
The SDP, which holds only seven seats in the powerful lower house, has
repeatedly demanded a three-party policy liaison panel to have the party's
opinions reflected in the envisioned ruling coalition.
In response, Hatoyama indicated Monday that he would offer Cabinet posts to
chiefs or other senior officials of the two parties so that they can lay out
common policies within the government without setting up a separate panel.
The DPJ frowns on the idea of creating any decision-making body on top of the
government, saying it could result in a dual power structure between the ruling
parties and the government as it had been under the coalition of the LDP and
the New Komeito party.
==Kyodo
2009-09-08 23:00:59
control the coalition.
The executives of the DPJ and its two allies -- the Social Democratic Party and
the People's New Party -- will meet again Wednesday after holding talks for
some two hours Tuesday evening following the failed negotiations earlier in the
day among the parties' policy chiefs.
Speaking to reporters after the talks, however, DPJ Secretary General Katsuya
Okada stressed, ''It is not that we see differences of opinion'' and ''it is
unlikely'' that the parties will not be able to forge an agreement on
Wednesday.
Gaps remain between the DPJ and SDP in particular over national security matters.
The SDP, which advocates preservation of the pacifist Constitution, is
demanding that their coalition deal must clarify that the incoming government
would seek to reexamine a Japan-U.S. agreement on the realignment of U.S.
military forces in Japan.
The DPJ has been cautious about adopting a tougher stance toward the United
States, as its chief Yukio Hatoyama is set to meet with U.S. President Barack
Obama later this month, although the party has also said it would pursue a more
independent policy against Washington than the Liberal Democratic Party-New
Komeito coalition.
Concerning how to coordinate the policies of the three parties in the coalition
government, the executives agreed to endorse a DPJ plan to do the task in a
Cabinet committee, which will be set up within the Cabinet involving the chiefs
or other executives of the three parties.
The SDP requested that some of its members should also go into the National
Strategy Bureau, a planned key policymaking body to map out budgets and basic
policies, but the DPJ apparently turned it down.
The SDP is scheduled to hold a meeting Wednesday morning to discuss what has
been talked about in the executives' meeting.
Once an agreement is reached among policy chiefs and executives, DPJ President
Hatoyama, who is poised to become Japan's next prime minister, is set to meet
with his SDP and PNP counterparts -- Mizuho Fukushima and Shizuka Kamei, to
make the accord a formal one.
The policy chiefs met twice Tuesday and were scheduled to meet for a third time
in the late afternoon, but it was canceled at the last minute. Their talks are
also expected to resume Wednesday.
The SDP's policy chief, Tomoko Abe, told reporters after the first round of the
talks that the DPJ modified a draft for their coalition deal to reflect some of
the party's requests, including one concerning the U.S. force relocation plan.
But SDP Secretary General Yasumasa Shigeno separately said later that the
parties remain largely divided over the ''so-called Okinawa issue,'' referring
to the relocation of U.S. military facilities in the southernmost Japanese
prefecture.
The DPJ won 308 seats of the 480-member House of Representatives in the Aug. 30
election, trouncing the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party, but still needs
to tie up with the two parties to retain control in the House of Councillors.
The three parties released a common policy platform ahead of the general
election, only focusing on such areas as welfare, employment and social
security, but pushed back discussions of the national security issue until
after the election.
If the coalition agreement is formalized, Hatoyama is expected to ask the two
leaders to join his envisioned Cabinet.
''Unless I go into the Cabinet, I won't be able to make opinions. I have no
choice,'' PNP chief Kamei told reporters Tuesday morning, suggesting he will
accept an offer if there is one.
The SDP, which holds only seven seats in the powerful lower house, has
repeatedly demanded a three-party policy liaison panel to have the party's
opinions reflected in the envisioned ruling coalition.
In response, Hatoyama indicated Monday that he would offer Cabinet posts to
chiefs or other senior officials of the two parties so that they can lay out
common policies within the government without setting up a separate panel.
The DPJ frowns on the idea of creating any decision-making body on top of the
government, saying it could result in a dual power structure between the ruling
parties and the government as it had been under the coalition of the LDP and
the New Komeito party.
==Kyodo
2009-09-08 23:00:59
