Politicians in Japan have lost the confidence of the people.

The DPJ believes that changing this situation and placing politics back into the hands of the people is one of the most important elements needed for the renaissance of Japan.

True vitality cannot arise in a society in which there is deep-seated distrust of politics, and apathy is prevalent.

It is important to halt the conglutination of politicians, bureaucrats, and big business and the heavy dependence on a bureaucrat-dominated administration, and to ensure that politics fulfils its true role.

Ensure political parties and politicians straighten themselves up and restore confidence in politics

We will first take a sharp knife to the opaque relationship between politics and money, and get rid of dishonesty. The DPJ already has external auditors conduct audits of its own political funding, and it will make this a legal obligation for all political parties.

End the conglutinated structure of politicians, bureaucrats, and big business, and create honest politics

By transferring financial resources to the regions in place of grants, and removing various business regulations, we will end the hotbed of collusion between politicians, bureaucrats, and big business. In addition, we will abolish totally the giving of political donations by companies receiving orders for public works. We will ensure total disclosure of donations by companies and organizations, and will improve the system of tax treatment of personal donations. We will also drastically strengthen current anti-graft legislation, in order to exert strict control over the persistence of influence-peddling by Diet members.

Correct the disparity of the value of a vote, and increase opportunities for participation in politics by the people of the country

The disparity in the value of a vote, which is in violation of the equality under the law enshrined in the Constitution, cannot be neglected any longer. If the will of every individual citizen is not reflected equitably, there can be no true democracy. At the same time we will take various steps to invigorate our democracy, for example by lifting the ban on use of the Internet for election activity, lowering the voting age to 18 in response to the growing political awareness of young people, and lifting the ban on door-to-door electioneering by candidates, so as to encourage direct dialogue between them and voters.

Ban golden parachutes for bureaucrats, a hotbed of impropriety

There remain many cases of bureaucrats who upon retirement are given cushy jobs in special corporations, government-authorised juridical bodies, and non-profit foundations, do the rounds of a number of organizations and companies, and receive huge retirement benefits well beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. These pampered ex-bureaucrats become the cement that binds together the nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, and big business, giving rise to injustices and scandals. This hotbed of impropriety, the cosseting of bureaucrats with post-retirement sinecures, will be prohibited totally by the DPJ, which will change politics and the government administration into a form that is in tune with the feelings of the people.

Cut the number of Diet members and total civil-service personnel costs by at least 10%

Above all it is essential for politicians and the government to clean up their act. To correspond with efforts being made in the corporate sector, we will move quickly to cut the number of Diet members and total civil-service personnel costs by at least 10%. We will also dispense with all arrangements that give unnecessary privileges to Diet members, including the abolition of Diet members' pensions.