Prime Minister Taro Aso kicked off an extraordinary Diet session Monday with a policy speech in which he challenged the Democratic Party of Japan to a political debate, consciously highlighting the ruling camp's rivalry with the largest opposition force.
During the speech to both the Lower and Upper Houses, Aso slammed the largest opposition party, saying that by creating political deadlock in the opposition-controlled Upper House it has placed priority on politics instead of the lives of the people.
"The DPJ's slogan is 'politics exist to protect the lives of the public' . . . and if that is true, we should establish a rule to find common ground," he said. "Is the DPJ ready to do that?"