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On February 15, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama held a press conference in Kochi City, and answered reporters’ questions regarding the first supplementary budget for fiscal 2009, and President Ichiro Ozawa’s forthcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In response to a question regarding the news that the government and ruling parties are considering a first supplementary budget for fiscal 2009, Hatoyama said that since the Diet is still in the process of seriously discussing the actual budget for 2009, it would seem like commonsense to include such measures in the budget itself. He criticised the ruling parties’ stance of ignoring the calls of the electorate for dissolution of the Diet and a general election following the passing of the 2009 budget as practicing governance that prioritises the interests of political parties and does not allow for the participation of the people. He said that if the 2009 budget itself was insufficient, and the government admitted it had defects, these should be amended, and emphasised that the idea of trying to delay calling an election was like putting the cart before the horse.
Hatoyama went on to explain how the prospective meeting between DPJ President Ozawa and US Secretary of State Clinton came to be arranged, commenting that at one stage [the US side] had said that a meeting would not be possible because of scheduling conflicts, but that both sides had gone back to the drawing board and found a mutually agreeable time, and thus they had finally managed to realise the meeting. He said the fact that the meeting was to be held was extremely significant, and expressed the opinion that “The US estimation of the DPJ has risen.”
Hatoyama added that Ozawa would ask Clinton about the US administration’s basis stance on security during the meeting. He said that Ozawa’s comments were likely to be cautious, and cited as reasons for this caution the facts that a party could discuss national security on a one-on-one basis one it had gained power, and that it was preferable to avoid in-depth discussions while still in opposition. He also commented that the majority of DPJ Diet members were in favour of realising a meeting between Ozawa and Clinton.
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