Just six months have passed since the Sept. 16 inauguration of the Hatoyama administration. In his first policy speech, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama pledged to do his utmost to build a nation truly based on the sovereignty of the people, and to "change the history" of the nation. There was a tangible sense of hope that his administration would bring meaningful changes to Japanese politics.
That hope is now turning into disenchantment because of the administration's indecisiveness, slowness to act and lack of direction on key policy matters.
Mr. Hatoyama has the responsibility of pulling his administration out of its dire state. He must show leadership to Cabinet ministers so that decisions on important issues can be made quickly and with clarity of purpose. It is important that broad and intensive discussions be conducted in the Cabinet, but Mr. Hatoyama should have the courage to discipline Cabinet members who make careless statements that give the impression of an administration without direction.