Current Diet session is chance for DPJ to show responsibility
(From The Japan Times Sept. 11 issue)

責任政党としての民主党

An extraordinary session of the Diet, which started Sept. 10, is to provide a theater for a critical political battle between the Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan. With the DPJ as the No. 1 party in the Upper House, the LDP may have difficulties enacting bills.?

The opposition force in the Upper House can vote down bills passed by the LDP-Komeito governing coalition in the Lower House and send them back to the first chamber. Theoretically, the governing bloc, enjoying more than two-thirds of Lower House seats, could still enact those returned bills. To do this repeatedly, however, would be politically difficult.

This does not mean the DPJ will have it easy. If the DPJ, with the cooperation of other opposition parties, votes down bills sent to the Upper House, it must provide convincing explanations to the public.

The LDP's domination has prevented other parties from exercising the constitutionally guaranteed right of Diet members to investigate state affairs. The DPJ must fully utilize this right, including summoning sworn and unsworn witnesses to the Diet, so that the Diet can regain its function as the highest organ of state power.

If the governing bloc offers reasonable concessions, the DPJ may have to compromise, and any compromise must be transparent to all. Too much compromise, however, will weaken the party as a force to compete with the LDP in controversial bills. The DPJ faces the difficult task of presenting itself as a responsible political force that still has the fighting strength and power to become a governing party.

10日に開会した臨時国会は、自民党、民主党の政治対決の場となる。民主党が参院の第1党に躍り出た「逆転国会」では、自民党が法案成立に苦労することが予想される。野党陣営は、衆院で与党自民・公明両党により可決された法案を、参院で否決し衆院に差し戻すことができる。衆院の3分の2の議席を握る連立与党は、差し戻された法案を可決成立させることができるが、この手続きを繰り返すのは政治的に困難が伴う。

一方、民主党が他の野党の協力を得て、参院で法案を否決すれば、その理由を国民に説明せねばならない。

これまで、自民党が国会で多数を占めてきた状況で、野党は憲法に定められている国政調査権を行使できなかった。民主党は、証人喚問などを含め、この権利を活用して、国会の機能を回復するべきだ。

民主党が、自民党と安易な妥協をすれば、闘う野党としての立場が弱くなる。民主党は、与党になれる責任政党として力を示すという課題を抱えている。