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December 18, 2014
December 17, 2014
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On December 18, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Edano held his regular press conference at party headquarters, and commented on the forthcoming election for party President.
Edano commented on the significance of this being the first election taking place in the middle of an incumbent president’s term in which party members and supporters could participate. He commented, “Our basic position is that it is desirable for party members and supporters to also participate in elections for president that take place at times other than the regular full-term elections. If this is practically possible then I believe that it is in fact only natural. I hope that the candidates will properly inform not just party members and supporters but also the public as a whole of their visions for the future direction of the DPJ, and that following this, the party will make further progress under the leadership of the new President.”
On the previous day, December 17, a general assembly of party Diet members had been convened. At the meeting, the assembled lawmakers decided that the election for party president would be conducted as set forth in the party regulations, with the new president selected through a combination of postal voting by party members and supporters and an election in which votes are placed by DPJ local assembly members and Diet members. Since the new president needs to be selected by the start of the next Diet session which is scheduled to begin at the end of January, it was decided that the official campaign period would start on January 7, and the new President would be elected at a special party convention on January 18.
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