Japan's opposition plans quick transition

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Japan's Democratic Party says it plans to form a cabinet within 3 weeks if it wins the August 30th election. Public opinion polls show the opposition party leading the race. The DPJ wants to move quickly in order to allow the new Prime Minister to attend a U.N. General Assembly meeting.

Newspaper surveys predict Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan will win the August 30th vote by a landslide.

DPJ deputy policy chief Tetsuro Fukuyama says without a new cabinet in place by September 20th, it would be impossible for the new prime minister to attend the U.N. General Assembly.

Hatoyama apparently also wants to attend a Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh from September 24th to the 25th.

Fukuyama says a Democrat-led government would closely monitor Japan's economy to make sure it was truly emerging from its longest recession in 60 years.

Fukuyama repeated the party's pledge to put more money in the hands of households through such measures as child allowances and toll-free highways. The moves are to stimulate domestic demand and wean Japan from reliance on exports.

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