Question of the Party Representatives

The Diet had Q&A session between party leaders and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in plenary meetings of both Houses. Given a hung parliament in the House of Representatives, the opposition leaders grilled Ishiba with requests for stricter ruling of political funds or for taking action on diplomatic and domestic issues. Ishiba did not give the opposition powers any clear answer on controversial issues which he was facing. 

“Question of the Party Representatives” is made about the policies the prime minister included in his policy speech at the beginning of the session. The leaders of leading parties and opposition parties asked their own questions toward Ishiba for three days, between January 28th and 30th, in both Houses. It is usual that the Q&A is made on whole first day and the afternoon of second day in the Lower House, and in the morning of second day and whole third day in the Upper House.

 

Intensive questions were made by the leader of largest opposition party, Yoshihiko Noda, in the House of Representatives on the first day. Noda quoted the fact that the Liberal Democratic Party had once agreed on revising donation from companies and organizations to the parties in 1994, when public allowance for parties was introduced and the donation was prohibited for individual politicians. “Don’t you think it’s time to get back to the basic and conclude to terminate that donation?” asked Noda.

 

Ishiba urged inter-party discussion on reform of political funds. There is a broad recognition in the LDP that the donation from companies and organizations is not inappropriate. “We are considering measures to secure transparency of political funds, rather than prohibiting it,” said Ishiba in his answer to Noda. Ishiba’s insistence on donation from companies indicated heavy dependence of the LDP on business money.

 

One of the greatest concerns for Noda was inauguration of new president of the United States. “Japan-US alliance is the basis of diplomacy and security policies of Japan. I hope you to establish personal relationship with US president through a summit meeting as early as possible,” said Noda.

 

Ishiba showed his intention to meet with Trump as early as possible. It is reported that the both governments is setting the meeting at Washington DC on February 7th. Ishiba hoped to discuss with Trump about North Korea, including the issue of abduction of the Japanese. He also promised his effort to keep good environment for investment between Japan and US, referring to Nippon Steel’s acquisition bid of US Steel.

 

Other opposition parties insisted on their own policies. The head of Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin-no Kai), Seiji Maehara, appealed free education. The Democratic Party for the People dispatched a leader of the Upper House members for the question, instead of Yuichi Tamaki who was suspended as the head of the party, to ask promotion of raising threshold of imposing income tax.

 

Ishiba answered these questions with the hope of further discussion between parties. Ishiba needs to find a breakthrough in the discussion to achieve approval for the budget bill in this session.

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