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In the afternoon of September 24, Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi, who will maintain his current post as DPJ Secretary General, responded to questions from members of the press in the Diet building on decisions President Noda has made concerning the new party structure. Koshiishi commented on his own re-appointment and also the nominations made for other key posts such as the naming of Minister of Environment Goshi Hosono as Policy Research Committee Chair, Diet Affairs Committee Vice Chair Kazunori Yamanoi as Diet Affairs Committee Chair, and Minister of Finance Jun Azumi as Acting Secretary General, stating “I believe this is what President Noda was talking about at the party convention. He intends to ‘improve and strengthen teamwork within the party, and make a new start.’” Koshiishi explained that on many occasions, President Noda has urged him to stay in his current post and work as Secretary General together with him. He remarked “As long as he is still Prime Minister, we should continue to support him in that role.”
When asked about the upcoming Diet sessions, Koshiishi expressed determination, stating, “We have unavoidable issues to address, including the legislation on the reform of the electoral system of the House of Representatives, which involves correcting the disparity in the value of one vote and reducing the number of Diet members; and the enactment of legislation for special measures regarding the issuance of government bonds. We will make every effort to gain the cooperation of the opposition parties and establish suitable proposals.”
With regard to the appointment of Minister of Environment Hosono as Policy Research Committee Chair, Koshiishi said, “The President is the one who has authority over personnel issues and the appointment of Minister Hosono was largely a unilateral decision made by President Noda.” At the same time, Koshiishi also revealed that President Noda consulted him about the nomination. Expressing his own view, Koshiishi commented, “I believe Minister Hosono feels a strong sense of commitment to Fukushima and I think he wants to continue what he started. Therefore, I believe that, as Chair of the Policy Research Committee, he will make renewed efforts toward the restoration of Fukushima by working together with the next Minister from a policy development standpoint as well. ”
Upon the Prime Minister’s return from the U.N. General Assembly, the DPJ will hold a joint plenary meeting of party members of both Houses and seek deliberation on the aforementioned new appointments of party executives on September 28. Koshiishi conveyed his expectations that after the joint meeting other personnel issues, both in the Cabinet and the party, would be addressed, remarking, “The new structure will be taken care of amongst the numerous other items to be addressed at a workshop of the House of Councillors in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on September 3-4.”
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