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2009/02/05
Ozawa visits DPJ branch office in Tokyo No. 24, says April election would have least impact on electorate’s lives
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On February 5, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa visited the Hachioji offices of Yukihiko Akutsu, head of the DPJ branch office in Tokyo No. 24 constituency, and urged on the workers there, calling on them to increase their efforts.
Following the visit, Ozawa gave his expression of the visit to the assembled press corps, saying, “Not just in Tama, but in every region I visit, criticism of the governance of the current LDP-Komeito administration is extremely strong. We must make our day to day campaigning and policy appeal clear cut so that we can fully respond to these sentiments.” He added, “I want us to do whatever it takes to win all the seats in the Tama region, excepting No 25 constituency, that is Tokyo constituencies numbers 18 through 24. The candidates themselves must make every effort to achieve this, but we will create a support structure and work toward the general election.”
Next, Ozawa commented on Prime Minister Aso’s flip-flopping as to whether or not he would receive the fixed amount economic stimulus payment, analysing it as follows: “The Prime Minister’s irresponsible attitude is breeding distrust amongst the people.” He dismissed the policy as a vote-buying measure prior to the general election and a waste of taxpayers’ money, saying, “I get the impression that this is not really a policy that has really looked hard at people’s lives and at [what is needed for] economic stimulus measures, but one that will use 2 trillion yen’s worth of tax money purely for short-term motives.”
Finally, Ozawa referred to the prospects for a Diet dissolution and general election, saying, “Once legislation relating to the second supplementary budget and the budget for fiscal 2009 has passed the Diet, there will be a short respite before the 2009 budget is implemented, so I think that anyone who uses their commonsense can understand that dissolving the Diet and calling a general election in April would have the least impact on people’s lives.” When asked whether that view was shared by Prime Minister Aso, he responded ironically, “I don’t know what he is thinking, but the majority of the electorate feel that way, and so ruling party Diet members, if they use their commonsense, ought to think that way.”
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