Chinese representatives express commitment to promoting a political settlement in the Ukraine crisis. Manabu Horii resigns from the House of Representatives for violating the Public Election Act. Stay informed about the latest developments in international diplomacy and Japanese politics with Simply Politics.
Sources:
https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/c6727947fa75--.html
https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/c6727947fa75--.html
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_28553982
https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/6c8a90af5ed5.html
Outline:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:00:53) 详讯：野田佳彦宣布竞选立民党党首 力争再次当首相
(00:03:46) 详讯：野田佳彦宣布竞选立民党党首 力争再次当首相
(00:06:40) Chinese representative: We are willing to continue to make unremitting efforts to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis_Great Power Diplomacy_The Paper
(00:09:28) Manabu Horii resigned as a member of the House of Representatives for violating the Public Election Act
Simply Politics, from China
China’s Efforts in Ukraine Crisis, Resignation of Japanese Politician
Chinese representatives express commitment to promoting a political settlement in the Ukraine crisis. Manabu Horii resigns from the House of Representatives for violating the Public Election Act. Stay informed about the latest developments in international diplomacy and Japanese politics with Simply Politics.Sources:https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/c6727947fa75--.htmlhttps://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/c6727947fa75--.htmlhttps://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_28553982https://china.kyodonews.net/news/2024/08/6c8a90af5ed5.htmlOutline:(00:00:00) Introduction(00:00:53) 详讯：野田佳彦宣布竞选立民党党首 力争再次当首相(00:03:46) 详讯：野田佳彦宣布竞选立民党党首 力争再次当首相(00:06:40) Chinese representative: We are willing to continue to make unremitting efforts to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis_Great Power Diplomacy_The Paper(00:09:28) Manabu Horii resigned as a member of the House of Representatives for violating the Public Election Act
- Duration:
- 11m
- Broadcast on:
- 29 Aug 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Good morning, and welcome to Simply Politics from China. It's Thursday, August 29th. On today's show, Japanese politician Yukio Hatoyama announces his candidacy for the leadership of the Democratic Party of Japan with the goal of becoming Prime Minister once again. Plus, a Chinese representative expresses willingness to continue efforts towards a political resolution in the Ukraine crisis, and Manabu Hori resigns as a member of the House of Representatives for violating the Public Election Act. This coverage and more up next. I'm David, and you're listening to Simply Politics from China. We start off with former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announcing his intention to run in the leadership election of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. This comes amid calls for political reform in light of the Liberal Democratic Party's faction kickback scandal. Here to discuss this further is James, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about Noda's announcement? Certainly, David. Yoshihiko Noda, who served as Prime Minister from September 2011 to December 2012, has officially announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. He made this announcement at JR Sudonuma Station in his hometown of Chiba Prefecture. Noda has emphasised the need for political reform and has expressed his determination to strive to become Prime Minister again. What is Noda's strategy for the upcoming election? Noda's strategy is to appeal to the supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party who are disappointed with the LDP. He believes that in order to reduce the number of seats held by the LDP to less than half in the next House of Representatives election, it's crucial to capture the hearts of these voters. He also acknowledges that the Constitutional Democratic Party alone may not be able to achieve this, and therefore calls for the opposition parties to work together. What are some of the specific measures Noda is proposing? Noda has criticised the previously revised Political Funds Control Act for having many loopholes. He believes that the LDP's candidates who supported the bill cannot carry out political reform. As such, he has proposed specific measures such as reducing the number of diet members and banning hereditary succession. He has stated that he will stand at the forefront of reform. And what about cooperation among opposition parties? Noda has mentioned that the Constitutional Democratic Party may not be able to secure a majority on its own. Therefore, he believes it's important to maintain an environment where dialogue with other opposition parties is possible. However, when it comes to cooperation with the Communist Party, he has expressed doubts about their ability to share the responsibility of government. What are Noda's views on constitutional revision? Noda has stated that his position is to discuss the constitution and he would promote related discussions within the party. He has also revealed that he has prospects for securing the 20 recommenders needed to run for party leader. In addition to Noda, current party leader Kenta Izumi also intends to run for re-election and former acting party leader Kenji Edder and House of Representatives member Harumi Yoshida are working to secure recommenders. Thanks for the report from China, James. Turning our attention to Japan now, former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has announced his intention to run in the leadership election of the Constitutional Democratic Party. This comes amid calls for political reform in light of the liberal Democratic Party's faction kickback scandal. Here to discuss this further is Michael, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about Noda's announcement? Certainly, David, Yoshihiko Noda, who served as Prime Minister from September 2011 to December 2012, has officially announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. He made this announcement at JR Sudonuma Station in his hometown of Chiba Prefecture. Noda has emphasized the need for political reform and has expressed his determination to strive to become Prime Minister again. What is Noda's strategy for the upcoming election? Noda's strategy is to appeal to the supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party who are disappointed with the LDP. He believes that in order to reduce the number of seats held by the LDP to less than half in the next House of Representatives election, it's crucial to capture the hearts of these voters. He also acknowledges that the Constitutional Democratic Party alone may not be able to achieve this, and therefore calls for the opposition parties to work together. What are some of the specific measures Noda is proposing? Noda has criticized the previously revised Political Funds Control Act for having many loopholes. He believes that the LDP's candidates who supported the bill cannot carry out political reform. As such, he has proposed specific measures such as reducing the number of diet members and banning hereditary succession. He has stated that he will stand at the forefront of reform. And what about cooperation among opposition parties? Noda has mentioned that the Constitutional Democratic Party may not be able to secure a majority on its own, therefore he believes it's important to maintain an environment where dialogue with other opposition parties is possible. However, when it comes to cooperation with the Communist Party, he has expressed doubts about their ability to share the responsibility of government. What are Noda's views on Constitutional revision? Noda has stated that his position is to discuss the Constitution, and he would promote related discussions within the party. He has also revealed that he has prospects for securing the 20 recommenders needed to run for party leader. In addition to Noda, current party leader Kenta Izumi also intends to run for re-election, and former acting party leader Kenji Etta and House of Representatives member Harumi Yoshida are working to secure recommenders. Thanks for the report, Michael. Continuing our coverage of China's diplomatic efforts, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, has stated that China is willing to maintain close contact and communication with the global South and relevant countries to promote a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. Here to discuss this further is Abi, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about Geng Shuang's statement? Certainly, David, Geng Shuang reiterated China's stance on the Ukraine issue, advocating for the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously and supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis. China is committed to promoting a political solution to the crisis based on these principles. What is China's perspective on the current situation in Ukraine? Geng Shuang pointed out that the Ukraine crisis, which escalated comprehensively in February 2022, has seen new changes this month with both sides of the conflict falling into a new round of fierce fighting, resulting in serious casualties and infrastructure damage. He warned that if the war continues, it will only bring more harm and destruction, pushing the world, which is already in a state of chaos and instability, into an even more unpredictable situation. What steps is China advocating for in order to de-escalate the situation? China has emphasized the need to follow the principles of no spillover of the battlefield, no escalation of the war, and no fanning the flames by any party, to promote a cooling down of the situation as soon as possible. China welcomes the new round of prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine under the mediation of the United Arab Emirates. It calls on both sides to maintain calm and restraint, avoid attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure and cease-fire and stop the war as soon as possible to start peace talks. And how is China actively contributing to the peace process? China has been actively involved in efforts to promote talks. Recently, the special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs visited Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia to carry out the fourth round of shuttle diplomacy on the political solution to the Ukraine crisis. During the exchanges, all parties appreciated the six-point consensus between China and Brazil on the Ukraine issue, expressed concern about the escalation of the conflict, and unanimously called for the start of peace talks as soon as possible. Thanks for the report from China, Abby. Turning now to Japan, House of Representatives member Manabu Hori has resigned amid allegations of violating the Public Offices Election Act. Here to discuss this further is Celeste, a correspondent for Simply Politics from China. Can you tell us more about Hori's resignation? Certainly, David. Manabu Hori, who was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, submitted his resignation to the Speaker of the House, Fukushiro Nukaga, which was approved. Hori is believed to have provided condolence money to local voters, a violation of the Public Offices Election Act. The Special Investigation Department of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office plans to prosecute him in a summary manner for this violation and other charges in the near future. What has been Hori's response to these allegations? Hori has admitted to the allegations, stating that he deeply apologizes for his lack of law-abiding spirit. He acknowledged that he had sent condolence money through proxies, which is a violation of the Public Offices Election Act. He expressed remorse for betraying the trust of those who voted for him, and stated that not participating in the next House of Representatives election alone is not enough. What can you tell us about Hori's political affiliations? Hori belonged to the Abay faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has decided to disband. He was previously implicated in a kickback scandal involving political fundraising dinners by factions, where it was found that a total of 21.96 million yen was not recorded in political fund income and expenditure reports after 2018. He was punished with a one-year suspension of party positions, and had previously stated that he would not participate in the next House of Representatives election. Thanks for the insights, Celeste. And with that, we wrap up our stories for today. Thanks for listening to Simply Politics from China. We'll see you back here tomorrow. [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO]