Opposition Leaders to Grill Takaichi on China, Fiscal Policy

Tokyo, Nov. 24 (Jiji Press)–Leaders of four opposition parties are expected to press Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over deteriorating relations with China and her aggressive fiscal policy in their first parliamentary debate to be held Wednesday since the launch of her administration last month. While the Takaichi cabinet is enjoying a tailwind from high public approval ratings in media opinion polls, the prime minister is struggling with backlash from China over her recent remarks about a potential Taiwan contingency. The parliamentary debate is also expected to focus on a comprehensive economic package worth 21.3 trillion yen in government spending that was adopted by the Takaichi administration on Friday to fund measures to address inflation and promote investment. At a press conference Friday, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said, “I want to grill (the prime minister) over cooling Japan-China relations and the comprehensive economic measures.” The debate will be held for a total of 45 minutes from 3 p.m. on Wednesday, with Noda allotted 28 minutes. He will be followed by Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki with eight minutes, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito with six minutes and Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya with three minutes to question Takaichi. During a parliamentary meeting on Nov. 7, Takaichi said that a potential Taiwan contingency may fall under a so-called survival-threatening situation for Japan, in which the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense, drawing fierce Chinese backlash. Noda plans to press for breakthroughs to improve Japan-China relations, citing “actual damage” from Takaichi’s remarks in question, such as China’s call for its citizens not to visit Japan and the effective suspension of imports of Japanese fishery products. Takaichi’s “aggressive yet responsible fiscal policy” will also be a focal point. The government hopes that a fiscal 2025 supplementary budget bill will be passed during the current ordinary Diet session to fund its economic measures. Long-term interest rates in Japan have surged due to concerns over a deterioration in the country’s fiscal condition. Against this background, Noda said at the press conference that the economic measures could dampen the economy if fiscal uncertainty were to intensify, suggesting that he would seek an explanation from the prime minister. By strengthening his confrontation with Takaichi, who he regards as a “hawk,” Noda hopes to help the CDP, which advocates centrist politics, regain its strength. A CDP official said, “This is a very dangerous administration in terms of economy and diplomacy.” Komeito, which became an opposition party after ending its coalition partnership with the LDP last month, will participate in a parliamentary debate among party leaders for the first time in 13 years since November 2012, when the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan was in power. Given that Takaichi has not ruled out reviewing Japan’s three nonnuclear principles, Komeito’s Saito, a lawmaker elected from a constituency in Hiroshima, is set to urge her to maintain them. As the LDP is a minority in both parliamentary chambers, the cooperation of the opposition parties is essential to pass the supplementary budget. What the prime minister will say in the upcoming debate is likely to affect decisions by opposition parties on whether to support the budget bill. DPFP’s Tamaki plans to ask Takaichi again to raise the minimum annual taxable income. Sanseito will take part in a parliamentary debate among party leaders for the first time, after performing well in the House of Councillors election in July. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]