Small party quits over Hatoyama's broken vow
Source: Agencies |
May 31, 2010, Monday
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A small party decided to leave Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's ruling coalition over his broken campaign promise to move a United States Marine base off Okinawa island, as he faced calls yesterday to resign and dim prospects in upcoming elections.
The departure of the Social Democratic Party from the three-party coalition is unlikely to bring down the government led by Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan. But his poor handling could significantly hurt the Democrats' performance in upper house elections expected in mid July.
"We have decided to leave the coalition government," SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima told reporters after meeting with party executives. "It was a tough decision to make, but a political party cannot do without public trust."
Hatoyama dismissed Fukushima on Friday as the minister for gender equality and consumer affairs after she refused to sign a Japan-US agreement to move the American base to a less crowded part of Okinawa.
Hatoyama's decision to keep the base on Okinawa, broadly in line with a 2006 deal forged by the previous Japanese government, helped heal Tokyo's ties with Washington but broke the prime minister's campaign promise to move the base off the southern island. It has infuriated Okinawa residents who have long complained about the heavy US military presence.
Fukushima, who has supported the Okinawans, said on Friday that her dismissal meant Hatoyama had turned his back on Okinawa. "My dismissal is a betrayal of the people," she said.
Analysts say many voters sympathize with her, and Hatoyama would eventually have to step down - though the timing is still unpredictable - to minimize the damage ahead of elections, while Fukushima's small party could make a big gain.
"Many voters now see Hatoyama as a liar who fired an honest minister who stood by her principles," said Takehiko Yamamoto, international politics professor at Waseda University. "Hatoyama has lost credibility over what he says. He would have to step down to contain damage. If he lingers on, it would mean less support for the Democrats."
Party spokesman Manabu Ito said Fukushima was expected to officially hand Hatoyama the party's decision to divorce the ruling bloc.
Reform Minister Yoshito Sengoku said it was "unfortunate" to lose the coalition partner. Transport Minister Seiji Maehara welcomed the outcome, saying "Each of us is following own policies and that's the way it should be."
Hatoyama had urged Fukushima's party to stay in the coalition. But SDP deputy chief Seiji Mataichi said "Hatoyama has lost rational judgment and is not capable of living through a crucial situation.''
The departure of the Social Democratic Party from the three-party coalition is unlikely to bring down the government led by Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan. But his poor handling could significantly hurt the Democrats' performance in upper house elections expected in mid July.
"We have decided to leave the coalition government," SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima told reporters after meeting with party executives. "It was a tough decision to make, but a political party cannot do without public trust."
Hatoyama dismissed Fukushima on Friday as the minister for gender equality and consumer affairs after she refused to sign a Japan-US agreement to move the American base to a less crowded part of Okinawa.
Hatoyama's decision to keep the base on Okinawa, broadly in line with a 2006 deal forged by the previous Japanese government, helped heal Tokyo's ties with Washington but broke the prime minister's campaign promise to move the base off the southern island. It has infuriated Okinawa residents who have long complained about the heavy US military presence.
Fukushima, who has supported the Okinawans, said on Friday that her dismissal meant Hatoyama had turned his back on Okinawa. "My dismissal is a betrayal of the people," she said.
Analysts say many voters sympathize with her, and Hatoyama would eventually have to step down - though the timing is still unpredictable - to minimize the damage ahead of elections, while Fukushima's small party could make a big gain.
"Many voters now see Hatoyama as a liar who fired an honest minister who stood by her principles," said Takehiko Yamamoto, international politics professor at Waseda University. "Hatoyama has lost credibility over what he says. He would have to step down to contain damage. If he lingers on, it would mean less support for the Democrats."
Party spokesman Manabu Ito said Fukushima was expected to officially hand Hatoyama the party's decision to divorce the ruling bloc.
Reform Minister Yoshito Sengoku said it was "unfortunate" to lose the coalition partner. Transport Minister Seiji Maehara welcomed the outcome, saying "Each of us is following own policies and that's the way it should be."
Hatoyama had urged Fukushima's party to stay in the coalition. But SDP deputy chief Seiji Mataichi said "Hatoyama has lost rational judgment and is not capable of living through a crucial situation.''
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