Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa apologized to the Japanese public Friday for failing to bring about political reform by his self-imposed deadline of the end of this year.
"I have to offer my frank apology to the people of the nation," he said in a televised news conference.He also promised to make new efforts to revive Japan's slumping economy but did not offer much in the way of specifics.
The apology marked a rather disappointing end to what many had viewed as a promising start last summer, when Hosokawa, the first leader in 38 years from outside the Liberal Democratic Party, swept into office promising change.
Recently disillusionment has set in with the impression that he has not fulfilled some of his promises.
When he took office, Hosokawa pledged to take personal responsibility if legislation to reform Japan's corruption-tainted political system was not passed by the end of the year. Some interpreted that as meaning he would resign if he did not achieve his goal.
Friday, however, he said he would push on. "After giving it careful consideration, I cannot throw this mission away right now," he said.
The political reform measures, which include electoral changes and restrictions on political contributions with the aim of limiting bribery, have been approved by the lower house of Parliament. But the legislation is believed to have less of a chance of getting through the upper house, which resumed discussion of the bills on Friday.
The current session of Japan's Parliament has been extended by six weeks, until Jan. 29 in an effort to get the legislation enacted.