ニュース 2015/09/18 Nagatsuma briefs diplomats on Diet debate in Café Democrats meeting In the morning of September 18, a meeting of Café Democrats, the exchange and discussion forum organized by the DPJ for diplomats stationed in Tokyo, was held at party headquarters. Acting Vice President Akira Nagatsuma gave a speech on the theme of “Important Policy Issues during the Closing Part of the Diet Session” At the start of his speech, Nagatsuma commented that “all members of the Diet are suffering from a lack of sleep”, and explained about the situation in the Diet, currently in a state of confusion over the government’s proposed security legislation. He commented, “Why is there such confusion? It is because we suspect that the legislation infringes against the constitution, and those suspicions are growing the more that we discuss the issue.” He voiced the unease felt by the public, stating, “Many Japanese believe that there is no such thing as a just war.” Following this, Nagatsuma explained about the efforts being made towards resolving inequalities that are currently under discussion in the party’s Headquarters for Constructing a Society Based on Mutual Coexistence, of which he is the Acting Chair. He said of the revisions to the Worker Dispatch Law enacted in the current Diet session “The DPJ is opposed. Why? This is because the revision will increase the number of workers with few skills, and cause inequalities to increase. With the rise in irregular employment, worker productivity, the amount that a worker can produce in a given time, has plummeted to 20th among the OECD nations.” Nagatsuma went on to stress that by strengthening the income redistribution function of government it would be possible to invest in people to create a society in which each person can use their abilities to the full. One of the diplomats commented, “I would like the opposition parties to play an effective balancing role. Japan should resolve issues with a diplomacy that does not involve the use of force, and with its political and economic power.” Nagatsuma stated, “The ruling parties in Japan currently have a huge amount of power, and our nation is in danger of being taken over by one single set of values. However, there is still room for an alternative. I would like the DPJ to fulfill this role.” Vice Director-General of the DPJ International Department, member of the House of Representatives Junya Ogawa acted as moderator for the meeting.