DPJ calls for Keidanren's understanding over policies

Japan Policy & Politics, July 22, 2003

TOKYO, July 16 Kyodo

Naoto Kan, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), called Wednesday for the understanding of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) over its policies, emphasizing his party's aim of taking over the reins of government, DPJ lawmakers said.

''We're thinking of measures to reactivate Japan'' and will aim at forming a government by presenting the DPJ's manifesto including numerical targets and deadlines on policy to the public, they quoted Kan as telling a meeting of executives of the DPJ and Japan's most influential business lobby in Tokyo.

Nippon Keidanren Chairman Hiroshi Okuda was quoted as saying, ''We do not feel there's a big difference with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The DPJ should represent the feelings of the common person, something the LDP cannot do.''

About a dozen executives from each side attended the meeting, which marked the first full meeting between the two since Kan took the party's helm last December.

The two sides discussed such issues as economic policies and political donations, according to the lawmakers.

Kenji Miyahara, vice chairman of Nippon Keidanren, was quoted as saying the DPJ's manifesto would be helpful in reviewing Nippon Keidanren's standards for providing political donations by corporations.

DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada said, ''From the viewpoint of actual achievements, the ruling parties would have an advantage. We hope the stance in dealing with political reform will also be included into the standards,'' according to the lawmakers.

Nippon Keidanren has decided to resume organizing political donations next year for the first time in 10 years. In 1994, Nippon Keidanren's predecessor stopped organizing political donations by member companies, following a series of big scandals.