62026    The Social Democratic Party is in disarray in connection with forming a new party, and the foundation of the government is shaken in a major way.

62027    The Prime Minister probably didn't have any room to spare for the speech.

62028    On July 18 of last year, the Prime Minister delivered his first speech after taking office and preached about the principle of "gentle politics," followed by his second speech on September 30 of the same year which was his attempt to substantiate it with specifics.

62029    While his enthusiasm came across in the two earlier speeches, we could not detect any of that elan in the Prime Minister's latest speech.

62030    In particular, comparing to the last speech that was delivered at the time when the Murayama administration was on the right track, a subtle difference in phrasing and reserved expressions was noticeable.

62031    A very good example is the political reform.

62032    Where Mr. Murayama had been eloquent in his last speech remarking that "efforts to dispel the public distrust in politics caused by corruption, collusive structure of the government, bureaucrats and industry and other related problems and to establish sound party politics that will truly speak for the benefit of the people are needed now more than ever," in this speech he was curt, and said that his government would "realize the party-oriented politics making the most of the intent of the new electoral system and to ensure the total ban of corruption."

62033    In the fiftieth year after the end of the war, the message that Japan is transmitting to the world seems to have become weaker.

62034    Some parts of his latest speech are better modulated.

62035    Mr. Murayama was extremely clear in relation to the issue of healing the wounds of war by saying that "the government would address individual cases in good faith as it is a moral responsibility that Japan must take and I am convinced that it will result in earning a greater trust from Asian countries and other nations," but his phrasing was more hesitant in the previous speech.

62036    Additionally, with regard to special government corporations, while Mr. Murayama had committed to nothing more than a review in the last speech, he clearly stated in this speech, "I am determined to push forward for the integration and streamlining of special corporations including merger and dissolution with my political leadership."

62037    The political reform is not something temporary, but rather a challenge into the future.

62038    The Prime Minister was too low-key about the political reform likely because he was no longer interested in it.

62039    But political reform, including atonement for the war and problems surrounding special corporations, is the greatest issue that the Murayama administration, which has already losing ground, can demonstrate its unifying power.

62040    Particularly, after having made numerous concessions starting with the acceptance of the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan-US Security Treaty, healing the wounds of war is the issue that could be called the last bastion of the Social Democratic Party to assert its identity.