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In the early evening of May 11, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa held an emergency press conference at party headquarters. He announced that in order to strengthen party unity and to limit the negative impact on the DPJ’s pursuit of electoral victory and its long-held goal of a change of government, he had “decided to sacrifice [himself] and tender [his] resignation as President of the DPJ.”
At the start of the press conference Ozawa read out a statement entitled, “For the Sake of Strengthening Party Unity”, explaining the reasoning behind his decision to tender his resignation.
Following this, in response to reporters’ questions, he explained that he had made up his mind to resign during the Golden Week holiday period, and said that the reason for his resignation was to prevent his staying on as President from creating uncertainty and instability within the party.
Ozawa answered a question regarding political donations by stating, “I have a totally clear conscience with regard to the issue of political donations. We have been dealing with them in accordance with the law.”
Furthermore, in response to a reporter’s comment that there must be people who had been looking forward to his becoming Prime Minister, Ozawa replied, “It doesn’t matter to me what position I hold. We must change Japanese politics, which has been rotten to the core for a long time. If we can achieve that, I will be satisfied. If we can establish politics that stands on the side of the people, and a parliamentary democracy, I will be satisfied both as a man and as a politician.”
The following is a full translation of the statement by President Ozawa.
For the Sake of Strengthening Party Unity
Member of the House of Representatives, Ichiro Ozawa
In order to strengthen party unity with a view to ensuring victory in the forthcoming general election and realising a change of government, I have decided to sacrifice myself and tender my resignation as President of the Democratic Party of Japan.
I would like to express my apologies for the worry that I have caused to the people and to party supporters, as well as my sincere gratitude to my fellow DPJ Diet members, party members and supporters who have supported me over the past three years.
This general election has always been an unprecedented opportunity for the people themselves to select a government and rescue the nation and the nation’s livelihoods. It is also the greatest chance for the DPJ to realised our long-cherished goal of a change of government.
The creation of a new DPJ-centred administration, realising politics for “Putting People’s Lives First”, and rebuilding Japan’s economy and society from its foundations, and the establishment of a parliamentary democracy in Japan through a change of government: these two aims are the historic mission entrusted to the DPJ and also my ultimate goals as a politician.
For the sake of Japan, as well as for the Japanese people, for the DPJ, and for I myself, we must gain victory whatever it takes.
In order to achieve this, party unity and solidarity is an absolutely essential requirement. If the party is in disarray, we will not be able to win the general election. Conversely speaking, if we are only resolute in remaining united, I am convinced that we will definitely be able to win.
If I have caused even the slightest damage to our party’s unity by my decision to stay on as President, that was certainly not my original intention. In order to achieve our main goal of a change of government, I have decided to increase solidarity within the DPJ and strengthen party unity by withdrawing from the fray.
To put it simply: I will sacrifice myself, and ensure our victory. My resolve, my decision, centres on this one point.
During the [Golden Week] vacation, I thought seriously about what I should do, and having reached a conclusion and made my decision, I decided to express my intention to tender my resolution today, immediately following the end of the vacation, in order to avoid confusion within the party. However, in order to keep the impact on the livelihoods of the nation to the bare minimum, I would like us to wait until debate on the supplementary budget for fiscal 2009 has ended in the House of Representatives before calling speedy elections for party President.
Let me repeat. There is nothing more important than our establishing a united front to fight the general election under the new party President. Of course, I will support the new President as one member of this united front, and continue fighting on the front lines in order to ensure electoral victory.
I would like to call on the Japanese people to give their continued support to the Democratic Party of Japan.
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