Wednesday, June 6, 2001
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In Committee Room No. 1 of the House of Representatives in the National Diet Building, Prime Minister Koizumi faced his first Question Time with opposition leaders. Vigorous debate on various issues ensued: Leader of the Democratic Party of Japan Yukio Hatoyama asked a question concerning revenues earmarked for road improvement; Japanese Communist Party Chairman Kazuo Shii addressed an issue on collective defense; leader of the Social Democratic Party Takako Doi raised the issue of reform of Question Time; and leader of the Liberal Party Ichiro Ozawa put forth a question about the readiness of reforms. Once the session had concluded, Prime Minister Koizumi noted his impressions thus, "There was a great deal of heckling, and I was unable to hear Ms. Doi's final question. But as 'heckling is what gives the Diet its character,' I think it made the debate more exciting." The Prime Minister also remarked on review of the time allocation of Question Time and on the posture of the opposition parties in the debate. |