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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

LDP convention decides to accelerate Koizumi's 'reform' agenda

The Liberal Democratic Party on January 18 held its annual convention in a Tokyo hotel and adopted this year's action plan containing policy priorities that include the establishment of a new Constitution, with a view to having the post-Koizumi government implement them.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, who is the LDP president, said, "The LDP's biggest task this year is to further accelerate the reform agenda," suggesting that his successor as LDP president and Japan's prime minister should be a person who is ready to take over his "reform" policy.

The LDP action plan made clear that government officials should continue to visit Yasukuni Shrine, and stressed the need to realize the LDP draft of a new Constitution replacing paragraph 2 of the war-renouncing Article 9 with a provision allowing Japan to have a ﾒself-defense militaryﾓ.

The convention also adopted an appeal calling for a national discussion on tax reform along with an increase in the consumption tax.

Present as a convention guest, Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) Chairman Okuda Hiroshi said that his organization will act in harmony with the LDP to strengthen international competitiveness of large corporations and promised the LDP to provide more political donations from the business world.
- Akahata, January 19, 2006