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Japan's Opposition Parties Submit No-Confidence Motion Against Mori
Four Japanese opposition parties Wednesday submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's cabinet, charging that Mori's controversial remark that Japan is a divine nation centering on the emperor violated the country's constitution.
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), the Liberal Party (LP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) filed the motion to the House of Representatives shortly after a nonbinding censure resolution against Mori was rejected in the House of Councilors.
"The comment is a clear breach and denial of the constitution," the no-confidence motion said, adding that Mori "utterly lacks" the qualities of a prime minister.
"The Mori cabinet should swiftly resign en masse before the dissolution of the lower house and the general election," said the motion.
Mori is expected to declare the dissolution of the lower house on Friday for a general election slated for June 25.
Opposition parties are demanding that a vote be held on the no- confidence motion, but the ruling bloc, consisting of Mori's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), New Komeito party and the New Conservative Party, plans to ignore the demand and wait for the dissolution of the lower house.
At an upper house plenary session earlier in the day, the ruling coalition voted down the censure resolution submitted Tuesday afternoon by the opposition bloc.
Public support rating for Mori has plunged since he made the "divine nation" remark at a meeting of pro-Shinto lawmakers on May 15.
Critics said Mori's comment echoes the ideology that drove Japan's wartime militarism as Japan invaded Asian countries in the name of the emperor.
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