Katsuya Okada Quotations

We'd like to celebrate the news with the people.

We want to stress the importance of pension and child-care issues ... The Koizumi government cannot achieve these reforms. We need a change in government,

The reform of Japan starts today. There is no tomorrow for the Koizumi LDP government, which spends all its time in internal power struggles.

We did not expect this. I don't think our policies were wrong, but we must reconsider our tactics.

I did what I had to do, but it was frustrating that we were never really arguing on the same plane. I wanted to debate policy.

I don't believe that the people are naive enough to accept the prime minister's assertion that foreign affairs and other issues will be resolved if the postal services are privatized.

I firmly believe our stance to focus on our policies was not wrong. Our message did not reach people. I regret that.

For those who think the current pension system isn't working, we want you to vote for the Democratic Party and let us carry through pension reforms under a Democratic administration.

The people have issued a resounding 'no' to Koizumi's policies.

The people had hopes that Koizumi would change the LDP, but he was not able to do that. Rather, domestic reform has not progressed, and foreign policy is beset on all sides.

Unless we change the government now, it may be too late.

Japan faces problems of decreasing population, an aging society and increasing national debts. Mr. Koizumi sounds as if life will be all rosy if the postal service is privatized, but no one takes what he says seriously.

Koizumi speaks as if everything will be rosy for Japan if only these bills are passed,

Koizumi says postal privatization is the focus of the elections. Is that so? I say definitely no!

Koizumi always says the same thing. Nearly 90 percent of his speech is about postal privatization issues. This election will decide the next three to four years of Japan's future, and important issues should be thoroughly discussed.

I resign from the head of the party. I would like the party to select a new leader without any delay. Our message did not reach people. I regret that.

Please change the government and give us a chance.

Our policies weren't wrong, but I have to reflect on the fact they did not get across.

I think our party members staked (the party's future) on the Maehara's youth and ability ... It is utterly necessary for each DPJ lawmaker and other rank-and-file members to back the new leader and stick together.

The overall situation has now become clear ... the DPJ has suffered a great setback.

True reform can only happen with a change in government.

We've been steadily making efforts for this day. Now we have finally came to this opportunity to change the government.

(Prime Minister Junichiro) Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party focused on a single issue of pros and cons regarding postal privatization--and the voters' attention was diverted to it.

Despite running our campaign with our priority on manifestoes and policies, we failed to secure support from the voters,

This country will not change without a change of government,

There is no time left. We must change the administration in order to ensure the success of the reform initiatives.

The biggest reason for our defeat is that we lost a lot of seats in urban areas where we were supposed have major support,

The fact that you, as secretary general of a political party, made remarks contrary to the fact in a forum such as a news conference can mislead the public and is very regrettable. I strongly protest and demand that (you) retract the remark and apologize.

In his four years and four months in power, Koizumi was unable to carry out reform. In order to carry out true reform, there has to be a change in government. We are not fettered to past practices. Please let us handle the government.

If you make your voting decision based only on the postal privatization, it would mean (Koizumi) would exploit it and would say the public entrusted him with all other decisions as well.

For the first time in the postwar period we will openly go head-to-head in elections and we aim ... to take power. The moment is coming when Japan's democracy will be tested.

The overall situation has now become clear the DPJ has suffered a great setback.

The only thing that can change Japan is a change in government.

The situation now is not easy. But I believe in the good sense of the Japanese people.

The depth of the middle class is waning as the polarization of society is in progress.

In elections, you can't tell the outcome until you open the ballot boxes.