Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa on Friday blasted a draft manifesto compiled by the Democratic Party of Japan, accusing the opposition party of being childish for not incorporating the nation's fiscal outlook in the plan.
"I think it is wrong to draw up a manifesto without mentioning the basic issue of how the party views the nation's finances," Shiokawa said.
By compiling a list of measures it wants to implement without outlining its view on the fiscal outlook, the DPJ is "almost like a child who says, 'I want this toy, so I'll buy it,' " Shiokawa said. "Parents make purchases after thinking about how much money they have in their purse."
The draft manifesto for the next House of Representatives election, expected to be held in November, was unveiled by the nation's biggest opposition party on Thursday.