Hatoyama launches Cabinet, ending almost half-century of LDP rule

TOKYO, Sept. 16 Kyodo -
Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama launched his Cabinet on Wednesday,
bringing an end to the Liberal Democratic Party's almost total control of
Japanese politics over the past 54 years, aiming to reduce bureaucratic power
in policymaking and revive the world's second-largest economy.
The coalition government of Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan, the Social
Democratic Party and the People's New Party is the first government to be
launched by a party other than the Liberal Democratic Party in the past 16
years. The LDP had governed Japan since its founding in 1955, except for a
period of about 11 months from 1993 to 1994.
''I feel thrilled and excited and am strongly aware that I bear the grave
responsibility of changing Japan to a people-oriented nation,'' the new
Japanese leader said at his first press conference in Tokyo.
On the DPJ's promises, the DPJ chief said the coalition would place priority on
economy-boosting measures such as allowances for families with children and
scrapping gasoline taxes, while thoroughly reviewing the economic steps and
budgets adopted by the LDP-led coalition for any wasteful spending.
But analysts believe that a big challenge facing the DPJ-led coalition will be
policy coordination with the two minor parties, whose positions, notably those
of the SDP on foreign and national security issues, differ from the DPJ.
The SDP has sought a drastic reexamination of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces
Agreement and the deployment of U.S. forces in Japan, whereas the DPJ is
unwilling to take a tough stance with Washington ahead of a meeting between
Hatoyama and U.S. President Barack Obama expected next week, as its pledge to
be more independent of the United States has already raised eyebrows among
officials in Washington.
''I have no intention of changing our basic stance and it is true that our
coalition accord says it will make efforts toward a review (of the SOFA as well
as U.S. forces in Japan), but I believe that this (visit) should focus on
nurturing bilateral relations of trust,'' Hatoyama said.
The prime minister is expected to reassure Obama that the Japan-U.S. alliance
remains the foundation of Japan's foreign policy when he meets with the U.S.
president on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York or the
Group of 20 financial summit in Pittsburgh.
The untested DPJ also faces a bumpy road ahead because of its fuzzy financial
policy as well as campaign-fund scandals involving Hatoyama as well as party
Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa.
''I would like to make efforts to fully explain (the case),'' Hatoyama said at
the press conference, apologizing to the public for causing confusion.
Hatoyama's fundraising body was found to have received donations from those who
were already deceased.
Earlier on Wednesday, both the House of Representatives and the House of
Councillors elected Hatoyama as the new prime minister by majority votes.
Hirofumi Hirano, Hatoyama's top aide named by the prime minister as chief
Cabinet secretary, announced the lineup of Hatoyama's Cabinet.
Hatoyama has appointed former Finance Ministry bureaucrat Hirohisa Fujii as
finance minister, former DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada as foreign
minister, and DPJ Acting President Naoto Kan as minister in charge of the
planned National Strategy Bureau -- a new body to be set up to lay out budgets
and basic policies.
Hatoyama's Cabinet was formally inaugurated with an attestation ceremony at the
Imperial Palace late Wednesday evening.
The DPJ, which called for greater power for elected officials over bureaucrats
in policymaking and promised to do away with wasteful spending in its campaign
platform, secured 308 of the 480 seats in the lower house in the Aug. 30
election, trouncing the LDP-New Komeito party coalition.
The 11-year-old DPJ is a conglomerate of LDP defectors, former socialists as
well as 143 novice lawmakers -- most of whom won their Diet seats for the first
time under the guidance of election strategist Ozawa -- meaning that it lacks
seasoned politicians with expertise on steering the economy out of a
longstanding recession.
In its manifesto, the DPJ promised to put more money in the hands of consumers
by offering child allowances and scrapping expressway tolls. It said the steps
could be bankrolled by cutting back on wasteful use of taxpayers' money and
without raising the nation's consumption tax from the current 5 percent.
But analysts are skeptical over whether the party will be able to secure enough
funds to implement such promises, while also noting that the DPJ's election
victory and public expectations for the new ruling coalition have put the money
scandals in the shade.
Ozawa, former DPJ acting president, on Tuesday succeeded Okada as secretary
general, the party's No. 2 post, taking charge of day-to-day party affairs and
elections.
Ozawa, also a former DPJ president and an election strategist who is credited
as being the main architect of last month's election victory, is now tasked
with leading the party to another victory in next year's election for the upper
house, in which the DPJ currently requires the cooperation of the two minor
parties.
SDP chief Mizuho Fukushima was appointed minister in charge of consumer
affairs, the declining birthrate, food safety and gender equality, while PNP
leader Shizuka Kamei took up a new ministerial post overseeing postal and
financial affairs.
''I would like to create a politics in which all people can take control their
lives...in a society harmed by (former Prime Minister Junichiro) Koizumi's
structural reforms,'' Fukushima told reporters at the prime minister's office
after the first Cabinet meeting, referring to a set of reforms spearheaded by
Koizumi.
On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Taro Aso and his Cabinet resigned en
masse, after holding office for 358 days since Sept. 24 last year. In line with
his resignation as premier, Aso also stepped down from the post of LDP
president.
''I have to stand down while I'm still halfway (through)'' steps to deal with
such challenges as the financial crisis and North Korean issues, Aso said at
his last press conference at the prime minister's office, adding, ''I did my
best for the sake of Japan in the short time of about one year.''
Aso said he strongly hopes that the incoming administration ''will make sure to
achieve an economic recovery'' and properly deal with international terrorism
and piracy.
Since the launch of his Cabinet last September, Aso's public approval ratings
were low mainly due to his perceived lack of leadership and a series of verbal
gaffes and policy flip-flops.
The LDP is scheduled to hold a presidential election on Sept. 28 to pick a new
leader to replace Aso.
==Kyodo