- Title: JAPAN: National parties debate disputed islands and nuclear future
- Date: 30th November 2012
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 30, 2012) (REUTERS) PARTY LEADERS WALKING INTO DEBATE PARTY LEADERS LINING UP PART LEADERS HOLDING HANDS DEBATE IN PROGRESS HEAD OF LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY(LDP) SHINZO ABE AND HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN(DPJ) AND JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF JAPAN RESTORATION PARTY SHINTARO ISHIHARA SAYING: "What are you going to do about the Senkaku islands? In order to save those poor fishermen then you need make at least a lighthouse, that's something that you promised. You need to do that, in order to prevent Japan from becoming another Tibet." PARTY LEADERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY(LDP) SHINZO ABE SAYING: "We have said in our public manifesto that we will look into perhaps building a boat port or position people on the island. Either way, we will not let go of our effective control of the islands. We won't change, we will keep our strong determination towards this end." DEBATE IN PROGRESS PARTY LEADERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN(DPJ) AND JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA SAYING: "There was talk about Senkaku. In order to peacefully and safely control them over the long term, we nationalized them. However unfortunately China is reacting emotionally to this. We plan on maintaining a strong stance towards this." MAN TAKING PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY(LDP) SHINZO ABE SAYING: "Assume that places like China continue with nuclear power, and only Japan stops. Then at that point if there's an accident would Japan really be alright? Or for instance how to deal with spent nuclear fuel, this is a worldwide issue. In order for us to contribute to those issues, it's necessary to preserve those with knowledge in Japan as well." PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN(DPJ) AND JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA SAYING: "By 2030 we are looking to have no operating nuclear reactors and are putting in all of our efforts into our political plans to to making that happen. This overall large direction has been decided and has been determined by a cabinet decision. We plan to head towards this goal. I think stopping and thinking about it for 10 years is continuing nuclear power I believe." DEBATE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HEAD OF JAPAN RESTORATION PARTY SHINTARO ISHIHARA SAYING: "Nuclear reactors? DEBATE MODERATOR ASKING: It's written in your manifesto "No, I changed it around. I changed the manifesto quite a bit. You first need to have a simulation and see how nuclear reactors work overall in the simulation. DEBATE MODERATOR SAYING: Well, it hasn't been rewritten yet. Please change it. "Okay, I will." CAMERA FILMING DEBATE PARTY LEADERS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 15th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAAH15GQIK20WMX657F5TAFHMRZ
- Story Text: The leaders of the 11 national parties in Japan held a debate on Friday (November 30) ahead of the country's elections next month.
Topics on the table included disputed islands in the East China Sea and the role of nuclear power in Japan's future.
Japan's election on December 16 for the more powerful lower house will determine which party controls the government after four years of rule by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).
The election comes amid tensions between Japan and China that have flared in recent months after Japan nationalized a group of islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
Shintaro Ishihara, head of the Japan Restoration Party, said the government had an obligation to protect Japanese fishermen.
"What are you going to do about the Senkaku islands? In order to save those poor fishermen then you need make at least a lighthouse, that's something that you promised. You need to do that, in order to prevent Japan from becoming another Tibet," he said.
Liberal Democratic Party head Shinzo Abe, in response, said Japan would assert its rights to its territories.
"We have said in our public manifesto that we will look into perhaps building a boat port or position people on the island. Either way, we will not let go of our effective control of the islands. We won't change, we will keep our strong determination towards this end," he said.
Ishihara, then mayor of Tokyo, originally said that the city would buy the disputed islands in April sparking protests from China.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, head of the ruling DPJ party, said the government needed a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
"There was talk about Senkaku. In order to peacefully and safely control them over the long term, we nationalized them. However unfortunately China is reacting emotionally to this. We plan on maintaining a strong stance towards this,"he said.
With this election being the first since the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, nuclear power and its role in the future of Japanese society was a key issue in the debate.
Opinion polls also show the pro-nuclear LDP with a big lead over Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), although a hefty chunk of voters remain undecided ahead of the lower house election.
"Assume that places like China continue with nuclear power, and only Japan stops. Then at that point if there's an accident would Japan really be alright? Or for instance how to deal with spent nuclear fuel, this is a worldwide issue. In order for us to contribute to those issues, it's necessary to preserve those with knowledge in Japan as well," LDP's Abe said.
The March 11, 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami killed nearly 19,000 people and devastated Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi plant, triggering meltdowns, spewing radiation and forcing some 160,000 people to flee their homes, many never to return.
Most surveys show voters wanting to exit nuclear power by 2030.
"By 2030 we are looking to have no operating nuclear reactors and are putting in all of our efforts into our political plans to to making that happen. This overall large direction has been decided and has been determined by a cabinet decision. We plan to head towards this goal. I think stopping and thinking about it for 10 years is continuing nuclear power I believe," Noda said.
While announcing a "fade out" of nuclear power on Thursday (November 29), Japan Restoration's Shintaro Ishihara on Friday said the party had changed its stance, with the moderator pointing out that the printed manifesto had yet to be changed.
"Nuclear reactors?" Ishihara asked. "It's written in your manifesto," the debate moderator pointed out.
"No, I changed it around. I changed the manifesto quite a bit. You first need to have a simulation and see how nuclear reactors work overall in the simulation," Ishihara said.
The election is expected to usher in a period of confusing coalition politics because of the emergence of new parties and because whoever wins will still lack a majority in parliament's upper house, which can block bills. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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