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On January 6, DPJ President Banri Kaieda held his first press conference of the New Year, while paying a New Year’s visit to Ise Jingu Shrine.
Kaieda said, “I prayed that the coming year would be a peaceful and prosperous one for the Japanese nation, and a year in which the Democratic Party of Japan experiences a renaissance.” He went on, “I expect that this year, like the last, will be a very difficult one for the DPJ, but we must do everything we can to make the advent of this New Year an opportunity to regenerate the party. You don’t even have to look at last year’s Diet session to see just what an important role the DPJ plays as the main opposition party. The DPJ must become a force that is capable of firmly confronting LDP politics.”
Kaieda stated that he wanted the DPJ to actively engage in the following during the regular Diet session that is scheduled to start in the second half of January: (1) promoting discussion between the ruling and opposition parties so that political, Diet and electoral reform can be carried out in a proper way, (2) put a stop to the government’s rampant behaviour, and make a proposal to comprehensively revise the special secrets protection law so it takes a better shape, (3) call for the increased tax revenues resulting from the consumption tax hike to be implemented in April to be used to stabilize and enhance social security (4) oppose the Abe administration’s moves to worsen employment legislation, and create a cycle which stabilizes employment and increases salaries for workers, and (5) encourage dialogue particularly with the leaders of China and the Republic of Korea, with a view to reducing tensions in East Asia.
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