|
On the morning of July 21, a general meeting of DPJ members was held at party headquarters. Party members committed themselves to come together and support each other in a bid to achieve an election victory.
DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama told attendees, "This dissolution of the Lower House and general election has much more significance than simply ending the rule of the LDP. Rather, it is an opportunity to implement revolutionary change and replace the system of bureaucrat and vested interest-dominated politics that has existed since Japan entered the modern era with a new system of true citizen participation. Let us commit ourselves to this historic mission."
He added, "We must achieve victory for the sake of the people. All of you Lower House members here today must achieve victory in your single seat constituencies. You must appreciate the importance of your task."
He also called on House of Councillors members to "give their best" to support each individual House of Representatives' lawmaker in each individual constituency.
Hatoyama concluded by expressing his determination to achieve victory in the upcoming election saying "We must create a new era and establish an administration that cares about the lives of individual citizens. I want you to keep on working until we can achieve that goal."
DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada then addressed the meeting and proposed that the President be given the authority to select those candidates who will not stand in single-seat constituencies but will be placed only on the lower rungs of the proportional representation register. He also proposed that the President be given the authority to decide matters relating to the electoral campaign and that the President and the Secretary-General be given the authority, for the duration of the campaign, to decide matters which would usually be decided by the Standing Officers Council. The proposals were approved without objection.
Secretary General Okada then reported that Hatoyama would announce the party manifesto before the end of July and that the party would organize the distribution of manifestos to the regions in time for the announcement. He called on party members not to let their guard down during the run-up to the election commenting, "There is a long time left until August 30. The LDP will throw everything at us. We must make sure that we all stay on our toes".
Hatoyama then introduced DPJ Supreme Adviser Hirohisa Fujii, Director-General of the DPJ International Department Tetsundo Iwakuni, and Seiichi Kaneta, House of Representatives members who retired at the end of the current Diet session. He thanked them for their dedicated service.
Finally, DPJ Acting President Kan Naoto came to the podium and mentioned, "The real fight is about to begin. If we let our guard down we will lose." He finished by saying, "We must establish an administration led by Yukio Hatoyama to bring about a new dawn in Japanese politics". He then led the assembled members as they clinched their fists and together called out "Gambaro!", a pledge to fight hard in the upcoming campaign.
|
.jpg)
