2ND LD: DPJ submits motion demanding Takenaka's resignation

Japan Policy & Politics, July 22, 2003

TOKYO, July 15 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO)

The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) submitted a motion to parliament on Tuesday demanding that economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka resign to take responsibility for the state of the economy.

The nonbinding motion the party presented to the House of Councillors is likely to be defeated by a majority opposing vote by the ruling coalition in a plenary session of the upper house on Wednesday.

The DPJ's move is part of its criticism of the economic measures of the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, including its injection of nearly 2 trillion yen in public funds into Resona Bank.

The party also cited as reasons for the submission what it termed as Takenaka's responsibility in the economic slump and that he is unfit to be economic minister for having made ''careless'' remarks.

Many lawmakers have been criticizing Takenaka, who doubles as financial services minister, for urging other cabinet ministers in February to buy exchange-traded funds by saying, ''You will surely make profits.''

When asked by reporters in the morning to comment on the motion, Takenaka said, ''My role is to help the prime minister boost structural reforms. I want to keep implementing the reforms.''

Some senior members of Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are also calling for the resignation of Takenaka, saying he has failed to revive the sagging economy.

The LDP heavyweights claim Takenaka, a one-time university professor, is too keen on applying economic theories which he believes were effective in the United States for dealing with the Japanese economy.

However, the LDP lawmakers have said they will not support the DPJ's motion against Takenaka and will instead intensify pressure on Koizumi to sack him.

DPJ President Naoto Kan criticized the ruling coalition lawmakers, saying, ''Even in the ruling parties, there has been strong criticism of Takenaka. They criticize verbally, but was there any lawmaker who took action?''

The DPJ had tried to persuade other opposition parties to jointly submit the motion but was rebuffed. Others in the opposition camp believe the motion is not a good strategy and have questioned its merits, said a senior lawmaker of the Liberal Party who spoke on condition he not be identified.

As for a no-confidence motion against Koizumi's cabinet, DPJ leaders have said they will decide on whether to submit one to the House of Representatives after considering the outcome of a lower house budget committee debate on Friday.