Ozawa and his party on nuclear power

August 2, 2012

Ozawa vows to abolish all nuclear power plants within 10 years

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120802p2g00m0dm070000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Political heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa said Wednesday that his new party will aim to abolish all nuclear power plants in Japan within 10 years.

His remarks suggested the party Ozawa launched in July, People's Life First, will try to attract public attention with a general election looming by stressing policy differences on nuclear power with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, whose government recently approved allowing two nuclear reactors to resume operating.

At a press conference to announce the new party's policy goals, Ozawa also vowed to pursue decentralization and to strive to stop the government from raising the sales tax rate while the Japanese economy is still in a deflationary slump.

Ozawa left the ruling Democratic Party of Japan early last month in protest at Noda's consumption tax hike proposal.

The 70-year-old former DPJ leader, nicknamed the "Shadow Shogun" for the influence he has wielded within several ruling parties, had argued the tax hike plan reneges on the DPJ's policy pledges in the 2009 general election through which the party came to power. Ozawa is credited with being instrumental in the DPJ's ascent.