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2014/02/09
Main session of party convention held, guests, Kaieda address convention floor
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On February 9, the 2014 annual DPJ party convention was held at a venue in Koriyama city, Fukushima prefecture. The Governor of Fukushima prefecture, Yuhei Sato, and the General Secretary of the Japan Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Rikio Kozu, made speeches representing the attendees from various fields. After DPJ Miyagi Prefectural Assembly member Futoshi Utsumi had declared the plenary session convened, with 260 out of 281 Diet members present, DPJ President Banri Kaieda addressed the Convention. The opening sequence of the Convention saw a performance by youngsters from Minami-Aizu.
Governor Sato stressed that in the process of recovery and reconstruction following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami and accident at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant of March 2011, he had been engaging in a reconstruction plan, which involved "working to create a sustainable Fukushima that does not rely on nuclear energy, and to work on recovery by uniting the feelings of all those around the nation who have given us their support." He also stated that he was particularly concerned about the continued rumour-based economic damage and the risk that people might forget about the effects of the disaster and the accident, and expressed his gratitude to the DPJ for deciding to hold its Convention in Fukushima, commenting, "First of all coming to Fukushima and properly seeing these kind of situations, and then communicating the facts [to the outside world] will lead to the recovery and revitalisation of Fukushima."
General Secretary Kozu said that in the forthcoming spring wage negotiations, Rengo would "focus our attention on achieving a rise in the monthly wage, in basic wage levels." He said that on the one hand Prime Minister Abe is claiming that he is aiming to achieve a positive growth cycle for the economy by raising wages, but on the other hand is working to implement revisions with a negative impact to for example employment law with regard to dispatch workers. He urged, "I would like you to engage in close cooperation with the local branches of Rengo and cooperating organisations in the various regions as we look toward the nationwide local elections and the next national elections. It is the public and workers who are getting the short end of the stick from the current lopsided political situation. I hope that the DPJ will further enhance its abilities and once
more take the reins of power."
In his speech, Kaieda stated the reasoning behind holding the Convention in Fukushima, saying, "We wanted each and every one of those belonging to the DPJ to once more engrave in their minds the words that we proclaimed when the DPJ was in power, that 'There can be no revitalisation of Japan without the recovery of Fukushima,' to thoroughly confirm the need for the recovery and reconstruction of all of the disaster-affected regions, the issues of contaminated water and measures for decommissioning reactors in the wake of the nuclear disaster, decontamination efforts, the health of children, and the restoration of the daily lives of all those affected by the disaster as if they were their own problems, and to continue to take action [on these issues]."
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