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Aso to vow to pull Japan out of recession in Diet speech+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Jan. 17_(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Taro Aso plans to reiterate his determination to "make Japan the first country to overcome the global recession" and stress the need to swiftly enact a record-high fiscal 2009 state budget to boost the economy in his policy speech to be delivered at the Diet, government sources said Saturday. He will also emphasize a "diplomacy toward peace and prosperity" in which Japan, as a major economic power, will actively contribute to peace and stability in the world, while vowing to cooperate closely with the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Barack Obama on such issues as North Korea and Afghanistan, they said. The date of the speech, in which Aso hopes to highlight his goal to create "a vigorous society where people can live in peace," has not yet been decided because deliberations for the second extra budget for fiscal 2008 are under way in the opposition-controlled House of Councillors. But the ruling parties are hoping that Aso will deliver the speech as early as Jan. 26. Calling antipiracy missions in waters off Somalia an "important and imminent issue the international society should deal with," Aso is also expected to present the government's plan to dispatch the Maritime Self-Defense Force at an early date under a maritime policing provision of the Self-Defense Forces Law and note that he will also seek to set up a legal framework for such a mission. He will also touch on North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals as the Cabinet's top priority issue and will say it needs to be resolved "as soon as possible." In relation to social security policies, Aso will mention in his speech the need to take necessary measures to realize a consumption tax hike starting from fiscal 2011, based on the premise that the economy is turning around. He will also stress work to eliminate wasteful spending and that he will proceed in revamping the public servant system, they said. Aso, struggling with low popularity, is expected to face a tough clash with the opposition parties in enacting the fiscal 2009 budget and related laws during the ongoing ordinary Diet session which was convened on Jan. 5. During his speech, Aso is expected to call for the cooperation of the opposition parties in parliament. The enactments of the first and second supplementary budgets for fiscal 2008 as well as the fiscal 2009 budget will lead the government to spend 75 trillion yen in total on economic stimulus measures, including a controversial 2 trillion yen cash handout plan. Copyright ? 2009 Kyodo News International, Inc. |