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2014/05/19
Kaieda holds press conference, vows to emphasise informal talks with supporters of local assembly members during second round of DPJ Revitalization Headquarters discussions
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On May 19, DPJ President Banri Kaieda held his regular press conference at party headquarters. He referred to the launch of the second round of discussions by the DPJ Revitalization Headquarters and pointed out issues regarding to Prime Minister Abe’s recent press conference regarding the exercise of the right to collective self-defence.
Kaieda commented on his visit to Aomori prefecture on May 17 and 18, saying, “We are now embarking on the second round of the DPJ Revitalization Headquarters’ discussions and this was the kick-off visit as it were.” He said that his previous visits to the regions had involved him participating in meetings organized by DPJ prefectural headquarters and Diet members’ district offices, but that on this visit to Aomori he had visited the districts of local assembly members in Sannohe and Gonohe towns and engaged in informal discussions with their supporters. He said that considering the fact that local elections would take place nationwide next year, he intended to focus on holding such meetings with the supporters of local assembly members from now on.
Kaieda said that during these meetings he had heard that agricultural producers in mountainous areas such as these were extremely concerned about the TPP and the agricultural policies of the LDP, and that the positive effects of Abenomics had not been felt in the region at all, in fact there were screams of protest that prices had risen. He said that various opinions had also been heard regarding the issue of consumption tax, and stated that a taskforce headed by DPJ Tax System Research Committee Chair Takeaki Matsumoto would be established. This taskforce will investigate issues such as whether the revenues from consumption tax are being used properly, and whether SMEs are being able to pass on price increases as appropriate, and the results of its investigations will be used in Diet debate.
With regard to the issue of the exercise of the right to collective self-defence, Kaieda commented on Prime Minister Abe’s use of a panel depicting a mother holding a baby in his press conference held on May 15. According to later press reports, the Prime Minister himself had urged, “Let’s include a mother holding her baby” and “Make that image bigger”. Kaieda pointed out, “When we are considering how we can manage to avoid starting a war, what is extremely important is how the government, representing the nation’s voice of reason, can control popular sentiment. Watching the Prime Minister’s press conference, I felt that the government’s chief executive was instead making comments which would incite public sentiment. This is extremely regrettable.”
Kaieda also referred to the DPJ’s position and response regarding matters relating to the exercise of the right to collective self-defence, saying, “We have already issued our position regarding the relation this bears to the Constitution, and from last week we have also started to discuss actual case studies. I would like to wait for these discussions to be completed.” With regard to the debate of the issue in the Diet, Kaieda said that the ruling and opposition parties had already agreed that it would be discussed on May 28, in intensive deliberations in the Committee on Budget in the House of Representatives, on May 29 in the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in the House of Councillors and on June 11 in Prime Minister’s Question Time. He added, “Discussions on just two or three occasions like this are totally lacking. We must debate this issue much more frequently in the Diet. It is necessary for thorough debate to take place in the Diet, including the establishment of a Special Committee.”
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