 |
 |
2010/06/30
Kan makes speech in Akita, urges listeners not to turn back the clock on reform
|
 |
|
|
On June 30, DPJ President, Prime Minister Naoto Kan undertook an energetic campaign schedule, visiting the three prefectures of Aomori, Akita and Yamagata before making a speech at a gathering held in Akita City. In front of an audience of around 2000 supporters and other attendees, Kan emphasized the results achieved by the change of government, as well as carefully explaining the policies being implemented by the DPJ. He urged his listeners to pay even closer attention to the activities of the DPJ in order to prevent the clock from being turned back on reform.
Kan took the podium to a rousing round of applause from the audience. He started off his speech by saying that in the ten months since the DPJ government took power there had been various areas of instability, but stressed, “I would like you to consider whether you would like to turn back the clock or to continue to go forward.” Kan went on to emphasise: “We take former Prime Minister Hatoyama’s desire for us to return DPJ to its origins very seriously. We would like to do our best to achieve this, and I would like you all to watch our party closely.”
Kan said that in order to free Japan, which is now at a dead-end, from the impasse, he would like to add the aim of “rejuvenation of a strong agriculture” to his goal of realizing a strong economy, robust public finances and a strong social security system in an integrated manner.
Kan referred in particular to the individual household income support system for farmers that had been introduced by the DPJ, saying, “The individual household income support system is a system that will let us rebuild an agricultural environment to enable people to bring up children and make a living in the regions while supporting themselves via agriculture. It will also help to develop the growth of sixth sector industry, and of value-added export produce. I would like to rejuvenate agriculture in this manner.” Kan said that such new policy measures were examples of efforts unique to the DPJ, which aimed to move the hand of the clock of reform forward, and called for understanding of the DPJ’s policies.
Furthermore, Kan said that the key theme running through all of these policy measures was employment, or work, stating, “Work is not just work. It is the origin of human beings’ desire to be of use to someone, of human dignity.” He continued by saying that having a place of employment was extremely important, as it was a means of maintaining ties within households and within society.
Kan went on to say that “One of the main reasons for the current deflationary situation is the high rate of unemployment.” He said that by creating jobs, particularly in the social security sector, direct employment and the return to work of those currently in the home could be expected. He said this was likely to increase the working population, reduce the unemployment rate, and expand the economy.
Kan said that in order to implement such policies a stable government was needed, and ended his speech by urging his audience, “I would like you to give us a further chance to play an active role and work on your behalf.”
|
|
|
| ▲このページのトップへ |
|
(2).jpg)
