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2009/10/14
Ozawa addresses new Diet members, hopes for their development into “first-rate politicians”
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On October 14, a meeting was held between the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Diet Affairs Committee and the new Diet members who had been elected for the first time at the recent general election for the House of Representatives.
Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa attended the meeting, and spoke of his own experiences as a politician, urging the freshmen Diet members to make every effort in their new profession and encouraging them by saying: “I hope that you will develop into first-rate politicians, who will each build up a store of training and experience and fulfill the expectations of your constituents.”
Ozawa revealed that when he himself was a first-term Diet member, the Diet Affairs Committee instructed him to attend not only the committees of which he was a member, but also many other committees as well, in order to make up a quorum, and added, “Many people might consider this to be a ridiculous idea, but you could also look upon it as giving you a chance to experience not only the committees you belong to, but also a whole variety of matters in other committees.” He expressed the opinion that attending committees that are different from your own specialist area is “one kind of valuable experience or training” and added, “I would like you to improve yourselves by undergoing such experiences.”
Ozawa went on to emphasise, “If you do your best both in activities in the Diet and back in your district, someone is sure to notice. Moreover, this will sooner or later bring good results for everyone.” He referred to his own experience, saying that he was the last of peer group of Diet members elected at the same time to become a parliamentary vice minister, and also the last to become a state minister, and even that was for only six months, due to the dissolution of the Diet for a general election. He stressed, “I have had such experiences, but I didn’t concern myself with such things, and have always done my best to fulfill my allotted role. This was during my time in the LDP, but as a result of that I was appointed as the youngest ever Secretary General of the LDP, and was able to achieve some success in that post.”
Ozawa added, “If you perform the tasks you have been given properly, then I am sure that through that process each one of you will be able to open a path toward your future. I want you to listen to the advice of your seniors, and build up a store of training and experience. I hope that this will enable you to develop into first-rate politicians, who will fulfill the expectations of your constituents.”
Following this, DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chair Kenji Yamaoka explained about the workings of Diet committees, Diet administration, and the activities of committee members. He emphasised “Our party’s fate rests with you all. I believe that there will never be another case, with any party, in which 145 first-term Diet members are elected when a party takes office. If we are able to preserve our strength without losing even one of your number, there will eventually come a time when the world of politics will belong to your generation. I would like you to bear this in mind. Meanwhile, we will also hope for this development and will gather the party together, with the Secretary General and the Diet Affairs Committee Chair in the vanguard, and advance with desire that “we want everyone to do their utmost”. I hope that you will respond to our expectations.”
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