TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated his call Saturday for revising the bilateral status of forces agreement with the United States.

“I know how hard it would be, but we shouldn’t give up,” Ishiba said of his proposal for revising the pact at a debate hosted by the Japan National Press Club.

“I’ll surely realize it” after discussions at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and with other political parties,” said Ishiba, also LDP president.

The debate brought together leaders from seven major political parties ahead of the Oct. 27 election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of parliament.

Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the government for repeatedly allocating reserve funds to promote reconstruction on the Noto Peninsula, central Japan, from a powerful earthquake and heavy rain.

“Abusing reserve funds is against financial democracy,” Noda said, calling on the government to assemble a supplementary budget.

JIJI Press