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On June 17, Prime Minister’s Question Time was held in the Diet, with DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama debating with Prime Minister Aso. Hatoyama called for politicians to value people’s lives. The main points of their exchange are translated below.
Decision to have head of Japan Post continue in his position is “an error of judgement”
Hatoyama: The public’s greatest concern is the issue of President Nishikawa continuing in his post. It is the reason for the fall in the Prime Minister’s support ratings. You have flip flopped on decisions, failed to make decisions, delayed decisions and been unable to reach conclusions on important decisions. Haven’t you fired the wrong person? Your ability as Prime Minister has been called into question.
Aso: Government intervention in privatized corporations should be kept to a bare minimum. It gave the impression that we were inviting trouble. I am responsibility for making personnel decisions with regard to the Cabinet.
Hatoyama: I warn you that [your opinion] differs from public expectations. We, along with the People’s New Party and the Social Democratic Party are accusing President Nishikawa of attempted malpractice. When we take power, we will have him quit his post.
Aso: You should not intervene on the basis of an upswell of public opinion.
Calling for speedy submission of legislation imposing new sanctions on North Korea
Hatoyama: I also mentioned to the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee that concerted action by Japan, the US and the ROK is needed. If new legislation is needed to permit cargo inspections, it should be speedily submitted. We will scrutinize it closely and deliver our conclusion speedily.
Aso: The legislation will be submitted.
Toward politics that values lives
Hatoyama: A woman died having been refused by 9 hospitals (as an emergency obstetrics admission). A woman died after being refused by 9 hospitals and being admitted by a hospital with no NICU. Shouldn’t it be a priority to work for a society where this kind of incident cannot occur? This is the disaster faced by the public when social security spending has been cut by 220 billion yen. Medical fees [paid to doctors] should be raised by 20%.
Aso: We also believe that [fees] need to be increased. We must prepare resources for that. We will have the burden borne widely but lightly. Once the economy has recovered, we must carry out drastic reforms including consumption tax. We cannot avoid the issue of consumption tax. If we don’t have resources it is extremely irresponsible.
Hatoyama: So you’re saying that financial resources are more important than people’s lives. Resources should be invested in treasuring people’s lives. You are placing emphasis on concrete and neglecting people’s lives. There are three kinds of financial resources: borrowing money, increasing taxes and getting rid of waste. We are in favour of a method that involves total elimination of waste. Your conclusion would be that leaving things up to the bureaucrats would ensure there is no waste. We would basically not carry out large-scale public works projects that are now outdated, such as the Kawabekawa Dam, and the Yatsuba Dam. Unnecessary and non-urgent projects would be put on a back-burner. We would make 20 trillion yen of funding available for new policy projects. We promise not to raise consumption tax for 4 years.
Aso: You are saying that you intend to cut 10% of 210 trillion yen’s worth of funding, but that is unrealistic. Unless you scrutinize things carefully and explain things in realistic terms, I will feel uneasy.
Hatoyama: Since you are just reading a script prepared for you by the bureaucrats you will end up with the wrong impression. Discretionary contracts also exist. The LDP’s Taro Kono is also saying that the anime and manga centre is a waste of money. Do you really believe that there is no waste?
Aso: It is natural to make efforts to eliminate waste on a regular basis. I don’t believe that all waste will disappear. The anime and manga centre is an issue that has been on the table since the Abe Cabinet, and not something that appeared since I became Prime Minister. It will be administered by the private sector. I have not implemented the plan on a whim.
Hatoyama: Is this really an urgent matter to be included in the supplementary budget, with a sum amounting to more than 11.7 billion yen. Amongst the young, for those in their 20s, the cause of death in 49% of cases is suicide, and even for those in their 30s suicide is the top cause of death at 36%. Moreover, more than 100 people commit suicide everyday. A country where this happens is not a developed nation. The additional allowance for single mothers receiving living assistance was abolished in April. This was a matter of 20 billion yen. There are children who have had to give up going on to high school or participating in school trips. That is the situation here and now in Japan. Let’s help these people find their place in society. If you are going to build an anime and manga centre then let’s restore the additional allowance for single mothers. Let’s create politics that can do that kind of thing.
Aso: There are all kinds of single mothers. I also think that having 30 000 people committing suicide is abnormal. Let’s also discuss national security and financial resources in these debates.
Hatoyama: I have no argument against that. Let’s create a politics that values people not concrete, a society of horizontal relationships, rather than vertical special interests, a society that gives sovereignty to the regions rather than concentrating power in the centre.
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