Japan’s party leaders clash over reform and economy in election debate

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan’s party leaders clashed on issues including political reform, the economy and national security during a seven-party debate held Saturday ahead of lower house elections later this year. this month

Newly installed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, repeated his pledge to “revamp” the country’s economy and disaster resilience, without giving details on planned economic measures.

Amid rising prices, some opposition parties have advocated reducing or abolishing the sales tax, but Ishiba has pushed back, saying it is an important source of revenue for social security and that there is no intention to lower the rate.

“A wage increase that exceeds the increase in prices is important,” Ishiba said.

Yoshihiko Noda, the newly elected leader of Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, said his party would support low- and middle-income earners by partially refunding the sales tax.

Ishiba was criticized by opposition party chiefs and journalists during the debate over the LDP’s slush fund scandal in which some factions underreported fundraising income, as well as his decision to ‘approve some LDP legislators involved in the scandal to run for the party in the party. elections of October 27.

Noda accused Ishiba of trying to “hide” the slush fund problem by holding the election shortly after becoming prime minister.

Noda said he has not given up coordinating with other opposition parties to have a candidate run against the LDP candidate in single-seat districts, but other parties were less willing to come together ahead of the election , and the president of the Japanese Communist Party, Tomoko Tamura, rejected the decision. idea that cites political differences on security issues.

Other debate leaders at the National Press Club of Japan were Keiichi Ishii of the Komeito party, LDP junior coalition partner, Nobuyuki Baba of the Innovation Party of Japan, Yuichiro Tamaki of the People’s Democratic Party and Taro Yamamoto of the Reiwa Shinsengumi.

Among other issues discussed between the leaders was Japan’s position on nuclear weapons, a day after the atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo was named the winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

Japan, the only country to have experienced nuclear bombing during the war, does not recognize the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which bans the weapons entirely. Noda said Japan should be an observer to the treaty, while Ishiba said he wanted to discuss “whether deterrence and abolition of nuclear weapons can be achieved at the same time.”