Diet members from the Liberal Democratic Party, one day after backing Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto for a second term as party president, turned against him Sept. 9, voicing fierce opposition to his administrative streamlining proposals.
The lawmakers heaped criticism on a preliminary report compiled last week by a blue-ribbon government panel, headed by Hashimoto, to overhaul the nation's administrative system. During an LDP meeting, a number of legislators representing divisions of the LDP's Policy Research Council expressed their opposition to the interim report drafted by the Administrative Reform Council. The meeting was held to explain the interim report to the LDP members.
While Hashimoto reiterated his resolve to implement reform, the meeting is believed to have reminded the prime minister that he must first overcome opposition within the party before accomplishing his policy priority. "All of the three services of the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry should continue to be state-run," said Keiji Furuya, a House of Representatives member who heads the communications division of the Policy Research Council.
"We oppose the proposed privatization of 'kampo' life insurance services and postal savings services. We are saying this for the benefit of the public, not for the ministry," the lawmaker told the meeting. The government panel has recommended that the ministry be split up.
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