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On August 9, a no-confidence motion against the Noda administration was submitted by six opposition parties, excluding the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito. These two parties abstained from voting on the motion as well, and thus it was subsequently voted down by ruling parties at a plenary session of the House of Representatives.
Representing the DPJ, Member of the House of Representatives Hirofumi Ryu delivered a speech opposing the no-confidence motion, stating, “This motion against the Noda administration is nothing more than an attempt to maintain a habit of procrastination in politics. The past governments, including successive LDP governments, postponed work on many issues. It is no longer possible to do so. With such politics, how can we possibly find the financial resources needed for the social security system, which is estimated to cost an additional 1 trillion yen every year due to the progress of population aging and the falling birthrate. There is no time to delay an increase in consumption tax if we are to maintain the social security system on which Japanese people have come to place their trust and strengthen this system further as we continue to see population aging and a falling birthrate.” Ryu strongly criticized the no-confident motion, arguing, “Prime Minister Noda has faced various problems without any discord, even in very difficult situations including the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Station.”
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