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2010/04/12
Ozawa states multiple candidates “can put up a good fight”
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On April 12, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa held his regular press conference at party headquarters, responding to reporters’ questions.
Regarding the movements toward the creation of new parties and the possibility of forming alliances with such parties, Ozawa commented, “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. In particularly, politicians have been selected by the people, and act in accordance with their own judgement and sense of responsibility, and so I don’t think it appropriate to say this or that about it and so have nothing to say.” Ozawa emphasized that the DPJ had to fulfill their responsibility as the party of government and by doing so obtain the understanding and support of the Japanese people, and stressed that the party would make every effort to do so. He went on to deny the possibility of forming any alliances, saying, “We are not considering any kind of tie-up with these new parties.”
Ozawa was asked for the reason behind the postponement of his prospective visit to the United States. He responded, “I was the one invited and so it is not my place to say that [the visit] should be postponed or should go ahead,” expressing the perception that the decision was made by the American side, who had issued the invitation. Ozawa added, “The over-intense media focus on this matter was also not really desirable.” He went on to say, “For my part, since we are in the run-up to the House of Councillors election, if possible I would like to devote all my energy to the election.”
Next, Ozawa replied to a question asking for the meaning of his statement regarding the House of Councillors manifesto, that “basically there will be no changes in our electoral pledges”. Ozawa explained once again that this matter was being handled by the Manifesto Planning Committee and prefaced his remarks by saying, “it should be dealt with there.” He went on to say, “with regard to the contents, it would be strange if we were to change the pledges that we made to the people six months ago” and stressed that while it would be possible to consider revising policy details or the means by which pledges could be carried
out, he didn’t believe the idea that “the basics could be changed in six months would be something that the public would agree to.”
In response to a question suggesting that the DPJ’s plan to field more than one candidate in multi-seat constituencies would lead to candidates facing an uphill battle in the campaign, Ozawa said, “Even in the LDP’s hay day, it was rare for the party to be able to gain a monopoly in two-seat constituencies. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to field two candidates in a two-seat constituency. However, in single-seat constituencies we are locked squarely with the LDP, and are engaged in a desperate fight.” Ozawa expressed the opinion that in light of the party’s main goal of achieving a majority, it was unfair for to ask only candidates in single-seat constituencies to undergo such a hard-fought campaign. He stressed, “By fielding two candidates in a two-seat constituency, conditions will for the first time be the same as in single-seat constituencies. In that sense, I don’t believe that our basic direction that everyone should make the same degree of effort is mistaken.”
At the same time, Ozawa analysed the electoral conditions, saying, “In contrast to the past, I believe that almost all [voters] are floating or non-affiliated voters.” With regard to such voters, he pointed out it would be possible for parties to gain a certain degree of support from the efforts made by support groups, but that there are many voters who cannot be reached through such efforts by existing organizations and support groups, and that this situation is the same for both the DPJ and the LDP. Ozawa went on to connect this phenomenon to the campaign waged by two candidates in a two-seat district, saying, “While existing support groups and votes that can be reached by such groups can be used to gain one seat, we will appeal to those people who cannot be reached [by existing mechanisms] stretch out our hands to them, and go on to increase support for the second candidate focusing on such floating voters. I believe that campaigning in such a way will lead to an increase in support and a broadening of the support base for both candidates.” He stressed, “I don’t believe things are as difficult as the media make out. We can put up a good fight.”
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