ニュース 2010/06/01 Second “Café Democrats” Briefing for the diplomatic community held On June 1, the second “Café Democrats”, providing a forum for briefing and exchanges with the diplomatic community in Tokyo was hosted by DPJ International Department Director-General Yukihisa Fujita. Approximately sixty diplomats, including five Ambassadors, attended a briefing on the theme of “The DPJ Administration’s Budget Review” given by budget review panel member, member of the House of Councillors Motoyuki Odachi. The meeting was also attended by Vice Directors-General of the International Department, Harunobu Yonenaga and Joe Nakano. At the start of the meeting, Fujita welcomed the participants, expressing his pleasure at being able to welcome such a large number of ambassadors and other diplomats to the briefing for the second time in a row. Odachi explained the background to the budget review process, and the structure of Japan’s national budget with reference to an easy-to-understand diagram that he had made himself. He stated that up until now, the execution of projects had been left in the hands of bureaucrats, and a thorough check of the need for funding of such projects had not been carried out. A lively question and answer session was held, including such topics as the effect that the budget review would have on projects connected to ODA. Fujita stressed that the party would like to continue to deepen exchanges with the diplomatic community through the discussions and social exchanges of “Café Democrats”, determine both as the government of Japan and the DPJ what constituted fair and effective aid, and to engage in provided such aid, and on this note the briefing came to an end.