Japan leader apologizes for pension mess

Jan, 4th, 2008
By YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press Writer

TOKYO - Japan's prime minister apologized Friday for a growing scandal over millions of lost pension records and promised to deliver policies focusing on consumers and everyday people.

The government has previously acknowledged losing track of more than 50 million pension records in a scandal that damaged the ruling party, playing a role in its loss of control of parliament's upper house in nationwide elections in July.
"The political responsibility is heavy," Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said at a New Year's news conference. "I offer my apologies."
Japan had long boasted what was widely seen as relatively solid government-backed social security system. But people were stunned to learn that bureaucrats had kept shoddy records, many claims were erroneously rejected and millions of records were missing or incorrect.
Fukuda's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to face an uphill battle when Parliament resumes later this month because of the public anger over the pension scandal.
Fukuda promised to fix the pension mess, saying on national television that "the credibility of our pension system is at stake."
He also promised to take the lead in passing a contentious bill for resuming Japan's naval operations near Afghanistan — a mission the ruling party sees as critical for upholding Japan's relations with its most important ally, the United States, in the global fight against terrorism.
The bill is unpopular with Japanese, who tend to be pacifist because of the bitter memories of Japan's World War II defeat, and fear getting involved in overseas military efforts.
Fukuda has been in office for just three months, replacing his predecessor Shinzo Abe. The Liberal Democrats have ruled nearly continuously for half a century. But their grip on power has been eroded by drastic economic reforms pushed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who had enjoyed rock-star-like popularity for more than five years until his term ended in September.
Politics here has long been dominated by old-style pork-barrel benefits doled out to construction and farming blocs. The pork dwindled with the reforms, and voters are slowly starting to elect politicians based on their backgrounds and policies.
Fukuda acknowledged not all had gone well under his leadership but promised change.
"What must be tackled has become clear," he said.