3RD LD: Abe, Yanagisawa apologize again over gaffe but say no to resignation

Japan Policy & Politics, Feb 12, 2007

TOKYO, Feb. 7 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH FRESH INFO IN 11TH-12TH GRAFS)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and welfare minister Hakuo Yanagisawa apologized again in parliament Wednesday for Yanagisawa's reference to women as breeding machines but refused to bow to calls by the opposition camp for the minister's resignation.

Yanagisawa's Jan. 27 gaffe and the public outcry he sparked remained the focus of the day as Diet proceedings returned to normal with the opposition ending its weeklong boycott to join the House of Representatives Budget Committee's deliberations.

''I'd like to apologize from my heart for creating confusion and for greatly hurting women and people by using a really inappropriate expression,'' Yanagisawa said, referring to his remarks describing woman as ''birth-giving machines'' in his speech on issues such as the low birthrate.

The health, labor and welfare minister said he intends to remain in the post and deal with the problem of Japan's declining birthrate.

Abe, who has stood by Yanagisawa throughout the brouhaha, again acknowledged that the remarks were ''extremely inappropriate'' and said he himself ''also would like to apologize.'' But the premier also stressed his intention to keep Yanagisawa in his post.

''I want the health, labor and welfare minister to fulfill his duties from the standpoint of the people,'' he said at the committee session attended by both ruling and opposition sides.

Abe vowed to aggressively take measures to deal with the declining birthrate by creating ''a Japan where people feel at ease to get married and raise their children under a basic strategy of assisting children and families.''

Meanwhile, the opposition stepped up their calls for the 71-year-old minister to resign, after he again made controversial remarks Tuesday by saying ''healthy'' young people want to get married and have at least two children.

Miho Takai, a female lawmaker from the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, grilled Yanagisawa and said, ''Do you mean then that those who don't have two kids are unhealthy?''

In response, the minister argued that he saw no problem with his remarks, saying, ''I was talking about the overall situation regarding young people. Whether a person wants to marry or have children is up to each individual's free will. That's clear from the context.''

Later in the debate session, Yanagisawa rejected the demand by Yoko Komiyama, another DPJ female lawmaker, that he retract his Tuesday comment. ''I do not understand the reason why I have to withdraw'' my remarks, he said.

Speaking to reporters in the evening, Abe defended Yanagisawa and said, ''I believe the minister explained sincerely in today's debate the measures he plans to implement to deal with the declining birthrate issue. He has apologized for the inappropriate remarks and I ask for the public's understanding.''

During the weeklong boycott, the ruling coalition -- Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner the New Komeito party -- pushed the fiscal 2006 supplementary budget through both the House of Representatives and House of Councillors in the absence of the opposition.

The opposition parties agreed Tuesday night to end the boycott and change their strategy to directly seek both Abe's and Yanagisawa's responsibility through parliamentary deliberation.

The agreement came at a meeting of the leaders of the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party. The Japanese Communist Party also returned to parliament Wednesday.