On May 27, the decision was made at a meeting of the DPJ Standing Officers Council to establish an "Exploratory Committee on Local Voting Rights for Permanent Foreign Residents (tentative name)".ﾂ? Acting as an advisory body to the President in accordance with the party platform, the committee is aimed at furthering debate within the party and building a consensus with regard to local voting rights for permanent foreign residents. Supreme Advisor Kozo Watanabe will head the committee, with Vice President Katsuya Okada and Policy Research Committee Chair Masayuki Naoshima acting as deputies.

On a related note, Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama commented "whereas debate amongst party members regarding local voting rights for permanent foreign residents has been voluntary up to now, we want to create a party committee to look into this issue as it is something that relates with the party's political philosophy."

The Standing Officers Council has also finalized plans to hold a symposium based around the theme of "The Democratic Party of Japan's Strategy to Combat Global Warming" in Tokyo on the evening of June 5 in order to publicize the party's position and initiatives on global warming, particularly "the bill on global warming Countermeasures (tentative translation)" that the DPJ is preparing primarily through its Global Warming Countermeasures Headquarters. Katsuya Okada, Chair of the DPJ Global Warming Countermeasures Headquarters, stressed the party's determination to "clearly set out the DPJ's position ahead of the Lake Toya Summit in July."

(08/05/27)