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2015/04/22
DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chair Takaki speaks to meeting of Café Democrats
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On April 22, the DPJ held a meeting of Café Democrats, an exchange and discussion forum for members of the diplomatic corps based in Tokyo. Following a welcome address by DPJ International Department Director-General Yukihisa Fujita, Diet Affairs Committee Chair Yoshiaki Takaki gave a speech on the theme: ‘The Prospects for the Latter Half of the Diet Session and the DPJ’
Takaki started by explaining the political and economic situation that Japan has been facing since the 1990s. He stressed that the biggest political issue for the DPJ was correcting widening disparities, clearly demonstrating the difference between his party and Prime Minister Abe’s LDP led-coalition, which is pressing forward with legislative revisions that will drastically change Japan’s national security policy and make it possible for her to exercise the right to collective self-defence.
Takaki went on to point on the key issues in the Diet, saying, “What we are emphasizing in the latter half of this Diet session are the three issues of labour legislation, the proposal to reform agricultural cooperatives and the national security legislation.” He made particular reference to the security legislation, and set forth the role he believed the DPJ should play, saying, “The biggest problem is that it is now possible to exercise the right collective self-defence by means of a Cabinet decision. This is also criticised by former LDP Diet members, but the majority of current LDP Diet members are keeping silent on the issue. It is important for the DPJ as the largest opposition party to put a stop to the tyranny of the majority.”
In conclusion, Takaki stated that the DPJ “would emphasise the economy rather than the worrying national security proposal. We want to be a party that ensures the Diet fulfils its proper function and fights on behalf of the Japanese people.”
Following the speech, there was a lively exchange of opinions, with comments from some diplomats expressing concerns such as “Japan may in future participate in actions which conflict with the United Nations Charter or UN resolutions,” and “Some Japanese products are being used as weapons’ components abroad.”
DPJ International Department Vice Director-General Michihiro Ishibashi acted as moderator, and the meeting was also attended by Vice Directors-General Junya Ogawa and Emi Kaneko.
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