DPJ chief Kaieda remains cautious over tying up with Ozawa

Minggu, 06 Januari 2013 15:03

(TOKYO-Kyodo) Banri Kaieda, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, remained circumspect Saturday over joining forces with Seikatsu no To (Party of People's Lives), led by former DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa, prior to the House of Councillors election this summer.

"I have never said that I will cooperate with Mr. Ozawa," Kaieda told a TV program of Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc.

He also said, "We can't afford to lose even one lawmaker among our 57 House of Representatives members," an apparent reference to the fact that Ozawa left the DPJ together with many lawmakers in opposition to the consumption tax hike policy initiated by former DPJ leader and prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda.

"It's not a question of Mr. Ozawa, but it is inevitable for the opposition bloc to cooperate so as to prevent the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party from winning the (upper house) majority," Kaieda added.

Kaieda assumed the DPJ leadership late last month after the party's crushing defeat in the general election.