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On November 2, DPJ Vice Secretary General and Chair of the DPJ Caucus in the House of Councillors, Yoshimitsu Takashima held a press conference at party headquarters, announced the report on “Reforms Leading to Decentralised Petitioning/Lobbying” that had been drawn up in the Executive Committee meeting held that same day. He explained that the report had been compiled with the following aims in mind: 1. elimination of collusion between politicians and bureaucrats and breaking away from a mode of governance led by self-interest, 2. sweeping away kowtowing to bureaucrats by implementing decentralised lobbying, 3. contributing to revitalisation of the national government and regional government reform, and 4. enabling petitions to be processed in a way that ensures transparency and fairness. Takashima said that the effects of the plan would be as follows: 1. strengthening the policy activities of the party’s prefectural branches, 2. strengthening the policy activities of Diet members and invigorating their grassroots activities through increasing hands-on participation, 3. decreasing the burden on the politicians holding the top three ranks in each ministry, and 4. reducing the burden placed on local government finances. He went on to explain the process by which petitions would be dealt with from now on.
Takashima went on to say that DPJ prefectural branches and Diet members would be informed of the plan during the coming week. He explained that the petitioning/lobbying to be targeted was mainly that concerning requests for budget allocation, and said that whatever the status of the politician concerned, all such requests, including those made to cabinet ministers, should be dealt with via the Office of the Secretary General.
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