Mr. Kan needs case-by-case approach to manage the Diet effectively
(From The Japan Times July 15 issue)

民主、部分連合での国会運営模索

Prime Minister Naoto Kan, whose Democratic Party of Japan suffered a severe setback in the Upper House election, will have an extremely difficult time managing the Diet. The ruling forces' strength in the chamber is 12 seats short of a majority. Theoretically, no bills will be enacted if the Upper House, now controlled by the opposition forces, votes them down. This is because the ruling coalition does not have a two-thirds majority in the Lower House, which would enable it to reverse Upper House decisions on bills.

At present, it appears difficult for the DPJ to form a coalition with an opposition party to control the Upper House. Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of Komeito, which has 19 seats in the Upper House, denied that his party will form a coalition with the DPJ. Komeito is critical of the involvements of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa in political funds-related scandals.

Your Party, with 11 seats in the chamber, is also negative about forming a coalition with the DPJ. Although the party is pushing for reform of the national civil servants system as the DPJ is, it is against the DPJ-led government's Japan Post reform plan. The Liberal Democratic Party, which intends to use its strong showing in the election as a first step toward its resuscitation, is likely to strengthen attacks on the DPJ and try to force Mr. Kan to dissolve the Lower House.

The only way for the Kan administration and the DPJ to effectively govern is to gain cooperation from opposition parties on individual issues. But such a case-by-case approach would require painstaking preparations. Mr. Kan must prioritize his policy measures and unite the DPJ's opinions on the management of Diet affairs.

His administration and the DPJ must not only fully explain its policies to the opposition parties but also carefully listen to opinions from the opposition groups so that effective compromises will be reached. The opposition parties on their part should refrain from executing power-game maneuvers intended only for the sake of their partisan interests.

参院選で民主党が大敗し、菅首相にとって国会運営は厳しいものになりそうだ。与党は参院で過半数を12議席割り込み、衆院で法案を再可決できる3分の2以上の多数もない。

参院での過半数確保のための野党との連立も難しそうだ。唯一の方法は政策単位で野党と連携することだが、それには念入りな準備が必要となる。首相は政策を優先付けし、党内の意見をまとめて国会業務をこなしていかねばならない。

菅政権は政策の説明を尽くすとともに、野党側の意見を聞いて効率的に妥協点を見出す必要がある。野党も党の利益ばかりを追った権力闘争を控えるべきだ。