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On December 7, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa held his regular press conference at party headquarters, and commented on the party’s new system for dealing with lobbying/petitions, and the proposed legislation for revitalizing Diet debate.
In the press conference, Ozawa commented on DPJ Diet member Hiroshi Kawauchi’s raising of issues regarding the way in which petitions were to be made toward the Secretary General and to Prime Minister Hatoyama and the government. He said, “In any event, I have no intention of changing the actual rule or system itself by which the party makes decisions about petitions and then presents them to the government.”
At the same time, Ozawa commented on the DPJ response to petitions submitted to the party, saying that such requests would be assessed during the current week and put in order of priority, and that he would like to create an opportunity for the party to put requests to the government side during the following week.
Ozawa also commented on the meeting held that day between the Secretaries General and Diet Affairs Committee Chairs of the DPJ, Social Democratic Party and People’s New Party. In response to a reporter’s question regarding the intention of legislation for revitalizing Diet debate that the coalition parties had agreed to pass through the Diet in the next ordinary Diet session, Ozawa replied, “[Our intention] is to have debate [between Diet members].” He added, “The ruling parties will submit the legislation to the Council on the Parliamentary System and it will be debated and a decision made.”
Based on the perception that if the new rules were to be implemented in time for the budget debate, the various political parties would need to come to an agreement in the Council on the Parliamentary System prior to that, a reporter asked whether Ozawa wished to have deliberations in the Council ended by the start of the forthcoming ordinary Diet session. Ozawa responded, “The Council on the Parliamentary System can be convened when the Diet is not in session. It can be convened at any time by the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration in the House of Representatives…I would like to create a situation where if possible all of the political parties agree and the legislation can be speedily submitted as a proposal sponsored by the Chairman of the Committee. I would once more like to ask the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration for his cooperation.”
Another reporter commented he had the feeling that the DPJ was being given the run-around by its junior coalition partners with regard to issues such as Futenma, economic measures, and the revision of Diet law, but Ozawa replied, “I think it is perfectly acceptable for there to be a variety of discussions within the coalition.” He went on to say, “As part of that process, everyone should make efforts to ultimately reach a conclusion. I believe that is a natural part of the democratic process. I think the present coalition government is functioning well.”
Furthermore, with regard to Diet affairs, Ozawa was asked whether this process should take place at the start of the ordinary Diet session, even in the event that agreement could not be reached with the opposition parties. He replied that the Council on the Parliamentary System is composed of the same members as the executive committee of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and went on to say, “I think it is fine if we discuss the matter and try to obtain the agreement of all the political parties. The revisions of 10 years ago did not take place with the agreement of all the parties, and so if it is impossible to obtain the agreement of everyone, then ultimately we will have to go for a majority decision. That is the principle of democracy.”
Finally, Ozawa said that the planned visit to China by the “Japan-China Exchange and Discussion Mechanism/Great Wall of China Project” delegation was “purely for the sake of parliamentary exchange and grassroots exchange” and expressed his intention of continuing to place emphasis on the Japan-China relationship.
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