|
On June 7, a General Meeting of DPJ Diet Members was held. New DPJ President Naoto Kan proposed the line-up of new party executives and it was approved.
At the start of the meeting, the Chair of the General Meeting, Ryu Matsumoto said, “I would like to express my appreciation to Prime Minister and former President Yukio Hatoyama for having overcome a difficult situation” and called for the assembled Diet members to show their appreciation. Hatoyama stood up and the Diet members gave him a warm round of applause. Matsumoto also praised outgoing Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, saying “he led the party in the mould of [Olympic hero] Emil Zatopek”
Kan said, “We are now making a fresh start. I believe that the real spirit of the DPJ which outgoing President Hatoyama wanted to return to is that of a political party where members can operate in a free and open way and improve their abilities, and where everyone can demonstrate their ability both at national and local level. I would like to propose the outline of the executive for a party in which everyone can participate.”
Kan said that the appointment for the post of Supreme Advisor was still being discussed, and proposed that the matter be left in his hands.
Next, Minister of State for Government Revitalization Yukio Edano, who had been newly appointed as Secretary General, addressed the gathering, saying, “I would like to run the party in a way that enables everyone to use their abilities to the full. I would like to carry out the role of clearly communicating what the DPJ and the administration are aiming for and what they are making progress on. As the Minister of State for Government Revitalization, I have increased the transparency of government administration. I would like to implement thorough transparency in the administration of the DPJ as well. I will travel around the nation, and communicate the feelings of the DPJ, and since I am still young, I will spend much effort in fulfilling this task.” Edano added that he would hold meetings of the party executive and the Standing Officers Council as soon as possible, and asked the General Meeting to leave the criteria for selecting bloc representatives for the Standing Officers Council in his hands, for which permission was granted.
At the end of the General Meeting, the newly appointed members of the party executive assembled on the stage. Kan proclaimed, “In order to create a stable administration I would like the party to join together in order to win [the House of Councillors election]” and everyone engaged in three rousing cheers in response.
|
