Editorial
Debate period between ruling and opposition party leaders should be extended in Diet
A debate in the Diet between Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Sadakazu Tanigaki and other parties was held on Wednesday. It was the first such debate since Hatoyama took office about five months ago.
However, the debate was far from substantial. The 50-minute debate was too short. Ruling and opposition parties should consider increasing the time allotted for such debates and their frequency.
It is only natural that Tanigaki and Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi first brought up the issue of politics and money, including scandals involving political fund management bodies for Hatoyama and ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa. Various opinion polls show that explanations provided by the prime minister and others involved so far have failed to appease the public.
Tanigaki bitterly criticized Hatoyama, calling the prime minister "the king of tax evasion," and pointed out that the prime minister's failure to pay gift tax on money provided by his mother to his political fund-raising body has caused taxpayers to feel reluctant to pay taxes. However, Tanigaki failed to show any new specific problem for which he criticized Hatoyama, while the prime minister only repeated that he did not know anything about the money provided by his mother.
In particular, it is difficult to get to the bottom of the scandals involving Ozawa's fund-raising body without questioning those involved. Tanigaki demanded during the debate that Ozawa as well as former secretaries to Hatoyama be summoned to testify before the Diet as sworn witnesses. Hatoyama responded that he may advise Ozawa to provide an explanation at the Diet if necessary.
The ruling coalition is desperately attempting to have the fiscal 2010 budget draft clear the Diet at an early date. Under such circumstances, it should actively persuade Ozawa to provide an explanation about the scandal.
Prime Minister Hatoyama once again expressed enthusiasm about legally banning companies and other organizations from extending political donations, and suggested that the ruling coalition will comply with Komeito's request that a consultative body be set up between the ruling and opposition parties to discuss the issue. The government is urged to implement such measures, including the strengthening of politicians' responsibility for their secretaries' handling of political funds, during the current Diet session.
Tanigaki also said doubts have been raised even within the Hatoyama Cabinet over the DPJ's manifesto for the general election last year. He pointed out that one minister remarked that it is difficult to provide the full amount of child-care allowances from fiscal 2011, while another said the beginning of discussions on a consumption tax hike should be brought forward.
The opposition leader also demanded that the government set specific numerical targets for securing financial resources for policy measures incorporated in the DPJ's manifesto if the prime minister intends to fully implement the measures without raising the 5 percent consumption tax for four years.
Tanigaki's arguments are fair enough. However, the time for the debate ran out immediately after the prime minister pledged to continue efforts to reduce the government's spending.
Even though both Hatoyama and Tanigaki asserted that there are various issues to be discussed besides politics and money, they failed to have in-depth discussions on any issue. The Mainichi Shimbun has insisted that Diet debates between party leaders should be held on a weekly basis. To avoid repeating half-cooked discussions, both ruling and opposition blocs should consider extending the time for such debates.
(Mainichi Japan) February 18, 2010