Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi spoke recently at a political school in Tokyo run by his longtime foe Liberal Party co-leader Ichiro Ozawa, describing his desire to dismantle the nation's nuclear power plants.
The two political heavyweights have rapidly become close in recent days, as they share the goal of ending Japan's reliance on nuclear power. They also appear determined to restrain the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which promotes the utilization of nuclear power plants.
"Mr. Ozawa and I were enemies at one time, and allies at another," Koizumi said at the Sunday lecture. "When I was prime minister, I said nuclear power plants were necessary, but people's opinions change."
The former prime minister referred to the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, saying, "I came to hold the unshakable belief that nuclear power plants should not exist."
Ozawa and Koizumi spoke to reporters together after the lecture. Ozawa said, "It's very encouraging that a person who served as prime minister is talking about reducing nuclear power plants to zero."
Both men are alumni of Keio University, and both are 76 years old. Ozawa entered politics in 1969 and Koizumi in 1972. They were part of the Liberal Democratic Party, but parted ways when Ozawa left the LDP.
Ozawa and Koizumi said it was the first time in about 30 years that they had taken joint action. Their collaboration came about after Koizumi supported an opposition-backed candidate in the Niigata gubernatorial election in June who presented a zero-nuclear policy.
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