No-confidence motion expected to be rejected… “Concerns of additional public opinion backlash from the ruling party”
While factions of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party are being investigated by the Tokyo District Prosecutors’ Office regarding political funds, the opposition party is expected to soon submit a resolution of no confidence in the cabinet to the House of Representatives (House of Representatives). Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, said, “We will consult with the ruling party so that we can respond solemnly according to what we believe.”
According to local public broadcaster NHK and Nippon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), Prime Minister Kishida told reporters at the Prime Minister’s residence on this day regarding the response if the opposition party submits a resolution of no confidence in the cabinet.
According to Fuji News Network (FNN), Prime Minister Kishida was repeatedly asked by reporters whether he intended to dissolve the House of Representatives, but he repeatedly gave the same answer. He did not explicitly mention the possibility of carrying out a dissolution.
Regarding the replacement of cabinet members belonging to the Abe faction, who are suspected of slush funds, he stopped short of saying, “We will respond appropriately at the appropriate time to restore political trust and avoid delay in implementing government policies.”
Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of the ruling coalition Komeito Party, appeared on a radio broadcast that day and said, “It is absolutely impossible now” regarding the dissolution of the House of Representatives and general elections.
In a situation where the issue of political funding by the Liberal Democratic Party faction has emerged, he emphasized, “Unless efforts are made to regain political trust, there is no trust worth asking (from the people through elections).”
Local media are predicting that the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party will submit a resolution of no confidence in the cabinet to the House of Representatives on this day. The Constitutional Democratic Party entrusted the response to Representative Kenta Izumi.
Representative Izumi said on the 12th, “The legitimacy of the Kishida administration has been lost and its function has already ceased,” and “Prime Minister Kishida should resign voluntarily and the Kishida cabinet should resign en masse, but we will keep an eye on the overall situation in the National Assembly and submit a cabinet resolution.” “I will try to make a tight judgment about it,” he said.
A resolution of no confidence in the Cabinet is a motion by the House of Representatives to express its intention that the Cabinet cannot be trusted. If passed, the House of Representatives will be dissolved and a general election must be held. Since World War II, resolutions of no confidence in the cabinet have been passed a total of five times.
However, this no-confidence motion is expected to be rejected with a majority opposition from the ruling party. On the 12th, a no-confidence motion against Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, who was suspected of slush funds, was also rejected with a majority of opposition.
Even if it is rejected, the submission of a motion of no confidence in the Cabinet to the House of Representatives could itself be a blow to the Cabinet.
The Yomiuri Shimbun said, “With the deliberation of the no-confidence motion in the Cabinet, fierce criticism of the government is expected to spread again. “The ruling party is concerned about additional public backlash.”
Source: Donga
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