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On February 16, DPJ President Katsuya Okada represented the DPJ in the Diet debate in the plenary session of the House of Representatives, asking questions regarding four speeches made by government ministers, including the Prime Minister’s Policy Speech. Okada prefaced his remarks by stressing, “As President, I will lead the effort to reconstruct the DPJ, and am determined to make every effort to ensure its success.”
Firstly, Okada pointed out that “the most important issue in domestic policies is ensuring that economic growth and the elimination of disparities take place simultaneously.” He criticized the government, saying, “The Abe administration’s economic strategy has produced none of the results that we would have expected of it.”
Okada also stated, “The government lacks the vision to see that what is important is how to effectively distribute the fruits of economic growth.” He added, “Japan is now one of the developed nations with the greatest disparities.” Okada pointed out that what was important was “to create a nation which would have one of the smallest disparities amongst developed nations by encouraging economic growth together with the elimination of disparities. Japan can become a model case.”
Okada went on to comment on foreign policy and national security, saying the Abe administration’s policy of “proactive pacifism” “envisaged a greater role for the SDF overseas, involving more pronounced participation in logistic support and use of the right to collective self-defense than had been the norm up until now.” He expressed doubts as to whether this was truly the right choice.
Okada commented on last July’s Cabinet decision to permit limited use of the right to collective self-defense, saying, “This was forced through without obtaining the understanding of the public or engaging in debate in the Diet. An important interpretation of the Constitution has been changed following the decision of just one particular Cabinet. This offends against constitutionalism and is a huge blot upon the history of constitutional politics.”
The DPJ President went on to refer to the statement which is to be issued on the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, stating, “The Statement by Prime Minister Murayama on the 50th anniversary of the War’s end, acknowledged that ‘colonial rule and aggression’ had ‘caused tremendous damage and suffering’ to the people of Asian nations, and expressed ‘deep remorse’ and a ‘heartfelt apology’. These phrases were echoed in the Statement by Prime Minister Koizumi on the 60th anniversary of the War’s end. They are not just simply important phrases, but are widely perceived as reflecting the Japanese government’s historical perception and foreign policy direction, both here in Japan and in the international community.” Okada stressed to the Prime Minister that he “should definitely include phrases such as colonial rule and aggression in the 70th anniversary statement.”
Okada spoke to reporters following the plenary session. He cited Abe’s remarks to the effect that he did not “accept that [disparities were widening] or at least [did] not feel that they had exceeded the permissible range” as well as comments made by the Prime Minister regarding “legislative measures” with respect to collective defense, and stressed, “many issues that need debating have come to light.”
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