Kamei: Japan Post boss on notice

Shizuka Kamei, state minister in charge of postal reform, said Monday he has informed Japan Post Holdings Co. President Yoshifumi Nishikawa of his plan to submit a bill to the Diet to change the privatization process for the government-owned entity.

Yoshifumi Nishikawa KYODO PHOTO

Kamei told reporters he met with Nishikawa on Oct. 13 and told him the ruling coalition is ready to submit to the extraordinary Diet session starting this month a bill to freeze the sale of Japan Post shares.

Kamei, who is also financial services minister, said he did not tell Nishikawa anything about his position but indicated he will continue to call on the postal chief to resign.

"I am leaving the decision to him," he said.

Kamei, who initiated the hourlong meeting, told Nishikawa the government's position on postal privatization has officially changed. Nishikawa was quoted as saying he is aware of the new policy.

Asked about Nishikawa's position by reporters, Kamei said it is naturally "difficult" for the current management under Nishikawa to continue leading the Japan Post group now that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's administration is pursuing a "completely opposite" tack from the privatization process started in 2007 by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and then economic and fiscal policy minister Heizo Takenaka.

Kamei, an opponent of Koizumi's postal privatization, has said he wants to install a new management team for Japan Post, including a new president, by the end of this month.

He also indicated the Cabinet will reach a basic policy position for postal privatization Friday.

The bill to be submitted by the ruling coalition is aimed at reorganizing postal operations under new management.

Nishikawa took the presidency of Japan Post in 2006 at the request of Koizumi, under his postal reform policy. Nishikawa was reappointed in late as head of Japan Post despite a series of controversies, including an aborted plan to sell the Kampo no Yado resort inn network at fire-sale prices to Orix Corp. Critics said the network was put up for sale under dubious circumstances.