My opinion of this week(550)
Minshuto rejects Fukuda's proposed grand coalition
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Friday proposed a grand coalition with
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), but the party rejected the idea.
Fukuda made the proposal and offered several concessions to Minshuto
President Ichiro Ozawa concerning the Self-Defense Forces when they
met for about two hours on Friday.
Ozawa did not immediately respond to Fukuda's suggestions, telling
the prime minister he would have to discuss the matter with other
Minshuto executives. Ozawa later telephoned Fukuda that their party
does not accept the idea of a grand coalition.
Resistance from Minshuto and other opposition parties allowed the
anti-terrorism special measures law to expire at midnight Thursday,
ending the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities in the
Indian Ocean. The government has submitted a new bill to the Diet
to allow the MSDF( Maritime Self-Defense Force) to resume its mission
in the war against terror in Afghanistan. But it is very possible that
the new law will not be approved by the diet under the current political
situation. Friday meeting was the one that the two party leaders
discussed a number of issues to create a breakthrough. But Ozawa
rejected Fukuda's grand coalition idea after he consulted with other
DPJ's executives.
That's all what happened. Except some top executives of LDP who showed
some understanding about Fukuda's approach, most party members expressed
their concern and opposition about the grand coalition. Most news
reports said there exist very strong opposition on such coalition
not only in DPJ but also in all other opposition parties. I saw a quick
research on such move in Yahoo this morning. I personally voted against
the idea and confirmed the fact that almost 83% of people was on the
negative side.
That's the way it is. It is a kind of common sense of general public
and all lawmakers regardless they are in ruling or opposition parties.
Many news media reported that both two top leaders, Fukuda and Ozawa
lost some faith as top leaders by doing such approach. Ozawa was
especially blamed many ways by members of DPJ and other opposition
parties regardless the fact that he called Fukuda the rejection of
his proposal after the executive meeting at his party.
I think that is not fair. I support the move of two top leaders at
this time. There is nothing wrong with such approach itself. As top
leaders of Japan, they tried to do something which may become a
breakthrough for the present stagnant political situation for
the welfare of the people.
The only way now to create breakthrough of the present situation for
Prime Minister Fukuda is obvious. He has to dissolve the House
of Representative as soon as possible. My personal expectation is
that the two party system will be established in this country as
a result of general election . I strongly hope that Democratic
Party of Japan will gain majority seats in the lower house and
replace LDP as a ruling party.
This is the first step which must be happened in next six months
or so.
2007/11/3
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(551)
Information manipulation by mass media
After the top conference by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and President
Ichirou Ozawa of Democratic Party of Japan, the latter expressed his
intension of resignation from the presidency for his proposal of coalition
with LDP (Liberal Democratic Party)was not accepted by party executives.
But Ichirou Ozawa withdrew later on his intention to resign from the post
by overall persuasion by the party members.
He had the hard time dealing with apology for people and party members
and with explanation of the reason and background why he tried to go into
coalition with ruling parties.
At the news conference, Ichirou Ozawa was questioned by a reporter of
Yomiuri Newspaper. The reporter said to Ozawa that he should withdraw
his statement at the news conference when he expressed his resignation
a couple of days ago. He blamed several mass media for reporting some
deceptive facts about the conference of two top leaders. Some news papers
such as Yomiuri, Mainichi and Sankei wrote that it was Ichirou Ozawa who
took initiative to propose coalition of two major parties.
Ozawa turned down the request of withdrawal of what he said at the news
conference. He explained the fact that he and his parties have not been
questioned anything about the facts concerning the conference from any mass
media including Yomiuri. It is not fair to write such article for mass
media without confirming the fact as it is, he said.
I agree with what Ichirou Ozawa said at the news conference. Several news
papers, especially Yomiuri slanted the way to report the fact about the
conference of top leaders. Ozawa explained all background the process
about how this meeting was arranged at this time. He did not mention
any specific name about arrangers but it is said that one of the key person
to arrange such meeting was Tuneo Watanabe, chief editor of Yomiuri Newspaper.
We can see now what happened at this time. It is very possible that such
big mass media like Yomiuri tried to manipulate information to attain some
purpose. They might have tried to eliminate Ichirou Ozawa from political world
for he is a big obstacle for the present political regime.
A number of ordinal citizens do not know such dark background which existed
at this time. There were such move to manipulate information by several mass
media. Yomiuri is possibly the most typical one which is involved with the
manipulation.
Today mass media have such a big influential power to create public opinion
about Japanese politics. Any of such unfair practice by mass media should
be eliminated without any exception from our society.
2007/11/10
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(552):
Nukaga and Kyuma should accept summon
Administrative Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya said at the diet
Thursday that former Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and current Finance
Minister Fukushiro Nukaga, a former Defense Agency chief, were present
when he was being wined and dined by Motonobu Miyazaki, former managing
director at defense equipment trader Yamada Corp.
The latest development likely will affect deliberations on the bill for
the new antiterrorism law in the opposition-controlled upper house.
The Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties tried to
summon Kyuma and Nukaga as sworn witnesses to the Diet to clarify the
issues. But Bunmei Ibuki,Secretary General of Liberal Democratic Party
said that the summon of two men is not necessary under the present
circumstance and their party will not agree with it. He said opposition
fronts tried to postpone the time to discuss the new antiterrorism law which
was passed at Lower House and sent to Upper House this week by taking up
such issue as the Moriya case. He said that is the different issue from
antimerism law by itself.
I don't think that Bunmei Ibuki is right. The Moriya's case is exactly
what should be discussed first prior to the antiterrorism law. Two former
defense ministers should be summoned to the diet to clarify the case.
The question is concerned with an internal governance of Self Defense
Ministry. In addition to the suspicion of bribes from Yamada Yoko against
officers of Self Defense Ministry and possibly against some politicians,
there were other misconducts concerning administrative process inside of
the Ministry. It is quite natural that Democratic Party of Japan and other
opposition fronts are trying to clear up all of those scandals first .
How can they perform a good jobs without keeping proper capacities to
conducts those important defense works for the country?
Many of those scandals are serious issues for the nations. Those issues
are more serious and important issues for this country than just temporary
issue as an antiterrorism law.
It seems that Prime Minister Fukuda and top leaders of LDP including Bumei
Ibuki do not recognize the importance of the case which happened at Self
Defense Ministry at this moment. Two politicians which were mentioned by
Takemasa Moriya should attend the committee of Upper House and answered to
all questions concerning any doubt about their activities. It is the
responsibility of the diet, I believe.
I just wonder why many mass media are not quite positive to criticize such
negative reaction of ruling fronts on this case.
2007/11/17
Tadashi HAYASE
My opinion of this week(553):
A sweet fish is coming back to Yamato River
I read this news in several papers and saw news also by TV. I recognized
the fact first time that Yamato River is the dirtiest river in any of
rivers in Japan.
Yamato River runs between City of Osaka and City of Sakai. Yamato is old
name of Nara which is ancient capital of Japan before Kyoto. Yamato River
starts from Nara and flows all through Nara to Osaka Bay. I was born in
Sakai City and grown up and lived there until I graduated from the
University of Osaka Prefecture which exists in Sakai City.
So I had many occasions to walk around and play at river side. I remember
the time when I enjoyed sukiyaki party with some of my club mates of the
college in summer evening. We were not quite sure whether or not that kind
of party was allowed there but that is one of a good memory of my college
life. The river itself was not so bad at all. The water was fairy clean
and riverside was good enough to enjoy such play.
Large waterfront industrial areas were developed at Osaka Bay by Sakai
City later on at about the time when I left Sakai City in 1961 or so.
I graduated the college and was employed by a firm located in Kadoma City
Osaka.
The development of the waterfront industrial areas was not the major reason
for serious pollution of Yamato River. But it was an overall background for
destruction of environment. The total land of Japan suffered a serious
environmental destruction due to high economic growth as we see today at
China and India. Yamato River was no exception as a matter of fact.
Since I left Sakai I started to live in Tokyo and came back to visit to
my parents who lived in Sakai City through their life. Whenever I passed
over the river by train from Osaka to Sakai City on my visit to Sakai,
I saw the river and realized the fact that the river got a kind of dirty
in many ways. But I have never known the fact that Yamato River is the
worst as such case of environmental pollution until quite recently.
The news about a sweet fish coming back to Yamato River sounds good to me
at any rate. It must be good news anyways to any people who live around
the river.
I am looking forward to seeing a sweet fish in the water when I stand at
riverside of Yamato River someday in near future.
2007/11/24
Tadashi HAYASE
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