Upper House adopts a censure motion against PM Aso

Japan Press Weekly

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

Upper House adopts a censure motion against PM Aso

The House of Councilors on July 14 adopted a censure motion against Prime Minister Aso Taro. The motion was jointly submitted by the Japanese Communist Party, the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, and the People's New Party.

This is the second time that a motion of censure against a prime minister has been adopted in the Japanese parliament since the end of World War II, the first being against Fukuda Yasuo in June 2008.

In the House of Representatives, the four opposition parties proposed a motion of no confidence against the Aso Cabinet, which was voted down by the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties using their majority.

JCP representative Kokuta Keiji seconded the motion stating, "It is clear that a majority of the public is fed up with the LDP-Komei government led by Prime Minister Aso."

He criticized the government for "pork-barreling simply to increase public support in the upcoming elections in mind and rushing to implement constitutional revision as well as overseas deployments of troops."

He went on to say, "The LDP-Komei government is engaged in party politics just struggling to survive as a party without presenting the nation with even a post-election vision, not to mention a new direction for the 21^st century."

Referring to the House of Representatives' rejection of the no confidence motion, JCP Chair Shii Kazuo at a news conference on the same day stated, "It is crystal-clear that people are giving up on the Aso government and are not putting any trust in it. This will clearly be revealed in the general election."

Shii also said, "Conditions for Diet meaningful deliberations no longer exists" on the grounds that the House of Councilors adopted the censure motion and the government and the ruling forces are talking about dissolving the House of Representatives. - Akahata, July 15, 2009