ニュース 2010/07/20 Edano holds press conference, discusses election review On July 20, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Edano held his regular party conference at party headquarters. With regard to the internal review of the election currently being conducted by the DPJ, Edano said that the party had completed interviews of each of the prefectural chambers regarding the election, that interviews of all party Diet members would start from the following day, on a regional bloc basis, and that the Policy Research Committee was proceeding with a review of policy. He added that the party would hear from representatives of DPJ Okinawa on July 22. Edano said, that “Once these processes have been completed, [the party] will issue a review proposal.” Edano went on to respond to a question regarding the functions of the National Policy Unit, saying, “I do not feel that its functions have been down-graded. Even under the Hatoyama administration, its role was not to compile the budget but rather to look after the big picture. The basic thrust has not changed.” Moreover, Edano commented on the Nagano gubernatorial race scheduled to start officially on July 22, saying that a recent meeting of the DPJ Standing Officers Council had decided to recommend the candidacy of Shuichi Abe following a request from the DPJ’s Nagano Prefectural Headquarters, saying, “Personally I have been beholden to Mr. Abe for his efforts serving as Vice Secretary General of the Government Revitalization Unit [until March 2010], and I hope that we will be able to provide him with strong campaign support.”