On July 22, Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Katsuya Okada handed a note to secretary generals of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, apologizing for the DPJ's failure to fully implement the campaign promises in its 2009 Lower House election manifesto.
His desperate action was aimed at getting cooperation from the LDP and Komeito to pass a bill to float government bonds to finance the fiscal 2011 initial budget. It is not only strange but also irrational and thoughtless.
In issuing the apology, Mr. Okada also made it clear that the DPJ would change the basic concept of its child allowance, and asked for the two parties' cooperation in the Diet deliberations on the bonds issuance bill.