[R-G] Minshuto Rejects Fukuda's Proposed Grand Coalition

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

<http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200711020433.html>
Minshuto rejects Fukuda's proposed grand coalition

11/03/2007
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Friday proposed a grand coalition with
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), but the increasingly confident
opposition 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 a total of about two hours in two separate meetings 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, who later decided against teaming up with Fukuda's Liberal
Democratic Party and New Komeito.

After his meeting with Ozawa, Fukuda told reporters: "We have to
change the current situation in the Diet. We have to think about the
lives of the people and ask whether it is appropriate to have national
politics come to a halt."

Fukuda said the two party leaders discussed a number of issues in an
attempt to create a breakthrough, and also acknowledged that he did
propose an alliance to Ozawa.

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
to resume its mission in the war against terror in Afghanistan.

Fukuda on Friday asked Ozawa for Minshuto's support on the bill. In
exchange, Fukuda said the government would consider drawing up a bill
for a permanent law that would allow the SDF to be dispatched
overseas.

Ozawa has long sought such a law in place of the stop-gap special
measure laws that have been enacted in recent years whenever the need
for a new SDF mission has arisen.

However, Minshuto has remained steadfast against the new bill on the
MSDF refueling mission. Ozawa has argued that any overseas dispatch of
the SDF must be conducted only through a United Nations-sanctioned
mission.

Minshuto became the largest party in the Upper House after the LDP's
historic defeat in July 29 election. Opposition parties hold a
collective majority in the Diet chamber.

Bolstered by their new power in the Diet and fresh from stifling the
government's plan to extend the anti-terrorism special measures law,
many Minshuto members are calling for further pressure on the
government to dissolve the Lower House and call a snap election.

Minshuto members feel the momentum, coupled with a series of scandals
among ruling coalition politicians and Cabinet members, could give the
party control of the government.

Friday's talks followed a meeting Tuesday that fueled speculation that
Fukuda and Ozawa were secretly discussing either the formation of a
grand coalition or a deal for the dissolution of the Lower House and a
snap election.

Both Fukuda and Ozawa denied that such discussions had been held, but
the two leaders agreed to meet again Friday.(IHT/Asahi: November
3,2007)

--
Yoshie
<http://montages.blogspot.com/>