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On July 22, DPJ President Banri Kaieda held a press conference at party headquarters.
(1) First, Kaieda touched on the meetings with the secretaries general and electoral chiefs of party regional blocs. Kaieda reflected on the views expressed by the Hokkaido and Tohoku blocs on July 18 and the Hokushinetsu and Tokai blocs on July 22. He briefed, “Candid views were expressed. While some opined that the DPJ presidential election should be conducted ahead of schedule, some expressed the view that now is not the time for such an election. Number-wise, there were more of the latter.”
(2) With regard to the Malaysia Airlines aircraft shot down in Ukrainian airspace, Kaieda said, “If this was the work of terrorists, they should be severely punished. Even before that, the bodies must be returned to their families as quickly as possible, and the international community has to work together to uncover the truth.” Regarding the Israeli ground operation in Palestine and the Gaza Strip, Kaieda expressed the view that “the international community must act together to calm the situation.”
(3) Regarding the adoption of the “Declining Birthrate Emergency Declaration” by the National Governors’ Association, Kaieda prefaced that “We also recognize that the declining birthrate and aging population are serious issues in the regions.” He went on to referred to the interim report compiled on June 17 by the Declining Birthrate and Population Issue Study Team of the Council on Protecting Livelihoods under the direct control of the President. Kaieda explained that concrete policies need to be advanced as quickly as possible on the basis of the report, and revealed that the DPJ would start working on developing legislation, etc.
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