On January 22, DPJ President Banri Kaieda spoke to reporters at party headquarters, following the news that former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa had held a press conference to officially announce his bid to become Tokyo governor, the official campaign for which starts January 23.
Kaieda said, "We have received a report from the Chair of DPJ Tokyo Metropolitan Headquarters Jin Matsubara (DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chair), who tells us that since DPJ Tokyo Metropolitan Headquarters has decided to act as an unofficial support group, discussions have been held regarding the nature of the assistance to be provided. On hearing this, we have decided once more to respect the intentions of DPJ Tokyo. With regard to specific assistance, if DPJ Tokyo asks party HQs for to help with something, we will support them wholeheartedly."
He added, "In today's press conference [former Prime Minister Hosokawa] commented that he felt a great sense of crisis over the direction that the nation was moving in under the Abe administration. We also share this sense
of crisis and this opinion."
|