Japan's main opposition leader counters Aso's policy speech

TOKYO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa fights back on the policy speech delivered by Prime Minister Taro Aso on Monday in a speech made to the Diet Wednesday.

Ozawa criticized Aso's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and said the next general election will be an extremely important opportunity for people to choose their government.

Ozawa, who has been criticized by Aso for "putting politics over people's well-bing", vowed that he will allocate 20.5 trillion yen to realize his manifesto pledges, including monthly child-rearing allowances of 26,000 yen.

He said that to secure financial resources he will change the fiscal management structure by measures such as using the special account budgets.

Ozawa outlined plans for tax cuts of 2.6 trillion yen, charge-free highways, termination of provisional tariffs on gasoline and medical system reform in the DPJ's manifesto for the lower house election last month.

The main opposition leader minimized differences with Aso on foreign affairs, stressing the importance to maintain and develop the U.S.-Japan alliance, adding that strengthening the relationship with the Republic of Korea and China is also very important.

Ozawa largely ignored the calls by Aso on the DPJ's views on the fiscal 2008 supplementary budget and the extension of Japan's antiterrorism refueling mission in the Indian Ocean.

Ozawa criticized Aso's policy speech for being too combative and lacking concrete vision or policy. "The only concrete part was slander against the DPJ," he said.

Japan has a divided diet, where the ruling bloc controls the powerful lower house which has the final say. DPJ and its smaller alliances dominate the upper house and can delay passages of bills.