Japan: Abe announces plan for new year

Source: CCTV.com | 01-04-2007 17:22

In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised to push for an early resumption of the six-party nuclear talks. At his press conference of the year, he discussed Japan's parliamentary election and plans to revise its pacifist constitution.

Abe called on the DPRK to handle the talks in a sincere manner. He also promised his country will increase efforts to recommence the six-party talks at the earliest date possible.

Abe said, "Unfortunately, the six-party talks last year were suspended without producing any results. I hope they will be resumed in the early part of this year and we will make an effort to realize this."

Abe also vowed to revise Japan's pacifist constitution and said he would seek voter approval for this in this year's national election.

Abe said he was determined to lead his ruling Liberal Democratic Party to victory in the upper house's coming election this July. This is going to be a tough fight for the Japanese leader since public support for him has declined.

Abe added that he had no plans to call a snap election for the lower house so that it can coincide with the upper house one.

Finally, Abe called 2007 "the first year of nation-building toward a beautiful country." He promised to push for legislation that will solve the social insurance issue and find ways to handle the country's dropping birthrate.

Editor:Du Xiaodan