Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso gave his first policy speech to parliament yesterday, stressing the country’s responsibility to help fight the global war on terror and to fuel recovery in the domestic economy.
Aso, who took office last Wednesday, said it was “not an option” for the country’s military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, to end activities abroad in support of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan, a stance that Japan’s opposition has questioned.
In January, the government passed a bill to continue a naval mission in which Japanese ships refuel vessels on anti-terror patrols in Afghanistan, but that bans direct help by Japanese forces in the region.
Aso emphasized Tokyo must deepen the Japan-US partnership and build on that to foster stability in Asia with close neighbors such as China, South Korea and Russia.
Aso said he would seek to resolve outstanding issues with North Korea, including concerns over that country’s missile tests and nuclear weapons program, as well as resolving the longstanding issue of the kidnapping of Japanese citizens decades ago.
On the economy, Aso said it was crucial to build business confidence and implement government policies that led to economic growth. He said it was important to address the country’s bloated bureaucracy and create a more efficient government.
Aso is under pressure to quickly win over the general public.
He took office last week after soundly defeating all challengers in a party vote held by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in part because he was seen as the most popular choice among the general public. But a number of polls taken in the days after he became Japan’s leader show his public support to be below 50 percent.
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