Opposition parties demand Fukuda resign

The four opposition parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, on June 3 confirmed that they will demand the resignation of Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda Yasuo who has called for a review of the Three Non-nuclear Principles.

JCP Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi at the day's regular news conference criticized Fukuda's remark for going directly against world opinion calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The Three Non-nuclear Principles are not just a government policy but Japan's national credo resolved in the Diet as a consensus of the people and should be maintained by future governments.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, however, said, "It's not worthy of serious discussion."

JCP Ichida stated that Prime Minister Koizumi lacks the credentials to lead the government.

In Hiroshima, Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) staged a sit-in at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in protest against Fukuda's remark.

A 75-year old counselor for Hibakusha said, "Still now, six survivors die every day in Hiroshima City. The evil weapons have continued to kill people for more than half a century. So I feel resentment at the pro-nuclear remark." (end)