Japan opposition says only it can achieve reforms

Reuters ^ | August 13, 2005 | George Nishiyama

[Righty_McRight]

TOKYO (Reuters) - In a bid to paint itself as the true party of reform, Japan's main opposition unveiled a plan on Saturday to cut down the influence of powerful bureaucrats if it took power following next month's general election.

Japan's bureaucracy has been credited for putting the country back on its feet from the ashes of World War Two, but it has also been blamed for representing vested interests and stalling structural reforms.

In its 500-day plan for transfer of power, the Democratic Party said it would only appoint bureaucrats who pledge to follow the party's policy agenda to senior positions if it won power in the September 11 poll.

"Unless we break up the current system of operating the government ... we cannot realize true reforms," the party said.

"Unless we eradicate the control by the bureaucrats, there is no tomorrow for Japan."

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called a snap poll this week after rebels in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) joined the opposition to defeat bills to privatize the giant postal system, the core of his reform platform.

While the Democrats voted against the bills to privatize Japan Post, a colossal financial institution which has some $3 trillion in assets including the world's biggest deposit-taking body, they said they would seek a slimmer government.

The party said it would start reforms by removing all senior officials from the prime minister's office in the first week after its victory in the election for the lower house, the more powerful of the two parliament chambers.

Appointments of senior bureaucrats require cabinet approval, but it has customarily just signed off on decisions made by the ministries and no major personnel reshuffles have taken place even when the government changes.

Two committees headed by the prime minister would be set up to review the functions and spending by the government and also to draft the budget under the leadership of the premier, the Democratic party said.

Democrat leader Katsuya Okada has vowed to wrest power from the LDP in the election and has said he would step down if the party fails to win a majority in the 480-seat chamber.

The LDP currently has 249 seats and the Democrats 175. The LDP's coalition partner, New Komeito has 34 seats.

A series of opinion polls this week suggested that Koizumi's support rating had risen since he called the election to seek a new mandate for reform.