Japanese Koizumi says postal privatisation is ‘done deal’
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed strong dissatisfaction Tuesday over continued opposition within his own Liberal Democratic Party to privatising postal services, saying the privatisation is “a done deal.”
“I want you to stop holding discussions that lag (the actual situation surrounding postal privatisation),” Koizumi said during a meeting of LDP executive members, according to meeting participants.
“If it’s impossible to reach a consensus in the party, I will have to make a decision,” the premier was quoted as saying, expressing determination to finalise a government plan on postal privatization regardless of opposition from within the party.
Following Koizumi’s remarks, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Fukushiro Nukaga said, “We are deepening discussions based on procedures. I would like to coordinate views based on the discussions.”
On Aug. 6, the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, the government’s key policy-setting panel, adopted a draft basic policy for privatising Japan Post in stages beginning in April 2007 and completing the process by 2017.
The draft calls for splitting the public corporation’s operations into four independent businesses for mail delivery, postal savings, life insurance and management of over-the-counter services at post offices, and putting them under a holding company.
