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On October 29, a convocation day of the 181st extraordinary Diet session, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) held the meeting for DPJ parliamentarians in the House of Representatives.
The meeting was moderated by Tatsuo Kawabata, new chair of the DPJ House of Representatives’ parliamentarians’ meeting. Kazunori Yamanoi, a Diet Affairs Committee chair addressed the meeting, remarking, “This Diet session is at a crucial stage, and not only for the DPJ, but especially for Japan.” He raised the demands of those in disaster affected areas calling for the opening of the Diet and firm deliberations toward the acceleration of the reconstruction effort after the Great East Japan Earthquake. He emphasized, “It is the responsibility of parliamentarians to open the Diet and conduct firm deliberations to enact required legislation and budgets. We need to accomplish our goals and create a Diet that can make decisions.” Yamanoi indicated the following five areas as requiring special deliberations: (1) special measures for the issuance of government bonds, (2) legislation to correct the disparity in the value of one vote, (3) the establishment of the National Council for Social Security System Reform, (4) the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, and (5) measures to boost the economy. Lastly he called on each the parliamentarians for their cooperation, saying, “This is an important session, on which rides the hopes of all citizens and especially those in the disaster affected areas. It’s time to move forward and achieve our goals by November 30.”
Acting Secretary General Jun Azumi said, “The 181st extraordinary Diet session has been called to session, and many of you have assumed new positions. We must perform our duties well and work to increase support for the DPJ. It is true that we have received criticisms. However, more than anything else, these voices implore us to work harder, because without the DPJ, Japan will only get worse.” He continued, “The Diet is a living being. It changes day by day. We aim to move forward with each challenge, especially regarding special measures for the issuance of government bonds, legislation to correct the disparity in the value of one vote, and the establishment of the National Council for Social Security System Reform, one by one and make big decisions.”
Ippu Watanabe, a backbencher from the Tohoku bloc proclaimed, “Being from the disaster affected area, I want to make my best efforts toward our goals with your cooperation.”
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