Opposition CDP moves away from no-confidence motion against Japan PM
TOKYO -- Yoshihiko Noda, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), on June 9 began arranging to forgo the submission of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet this Diet session
As Ishiba has indicated his willingness to comply with opposition camp requests to hold meetings between ruling and opposition party leaders to explain Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations before and after the Group of Seven summit to be held in Canada from June 15, Noda apparently judged that there is little reason to press for a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet.
Under the minority government, if the opposition bloc were to jointly pass a no-confidence bill through the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Ishiba would be pressed to resort to a Cabinet resignation en masse or to dissolve the lower chamber for a snap election. The Ishiba administration has accordingly kept the opposition camp in check by threatening to dissolve the lower house "upon the submission of a no-confidence motion."
Noda had indicated that if his party were to submit a no-confidence bill, he would consult with other opposition parties in advance to jointly do so, but Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) co-head Seiji Maehara and Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki have remained cautious about the idea.
It appears the decision was also driven by a desire to avoid political turmoil given the lack of prospects for the opposition parties to reach consensus over issues such as the election of a new prime minister following a Cabinet resignation, as well as possible campaign cooperation among the opposition forces in the event the July upper house contest coincides with a lower house election.
According to a senior CDP official, Noda told a party executive board meeting on June 9, "My stance of (doing things) 'at the right time and in an appropriate manner' remains unchanged, so I hope everyone will do the same." Noda had previously suggested that if the government shelves the submission of a pension system reform bill to the Diet, it could serve as a reason for submitting a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, but the CDP eventually agreed with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito on a modified bill incorporating the CDP's demands.
A senior CDP official noted, "Noda didn't intend to submit a no-confidence motion in the first place. He doesn't think it cowardly not to submit it, either."
Regarding the meeting between ruling and opposition party leaders requested by Noda and others, LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama announced June 9 that Ishiba was willing to provide explanations on June 12 prior to his departure for the G7 summit, and also suggested a plan to hold a meeting upon his return to Japan. Noda told reporters on June 10, "I appreciate that they made the effort to arrange the meeting.". He reiterated his aim of achieving a change of government in the next House of Representatives election, and added, "We are not necessarily assuming a double election (simultaneous lower and upper house polls)."
Within the CDP, however, there remain strong calls for submitting a no-confidence bill to highlight the party's confrontational stance against the Ishiba administration ahead of the upper house race.
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