 |
 |
2016/01/19
Meeting of DPJ’s Next Cabinet held, discusses TPP position, LGBT legislation
|
 |
|
|
On January 19, a meeting of the DPJ’s Next Cabinet was held inside the Diet building.
The “Position on the Agreement in Principle on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)” approved at this meeting was drafted by incorporating investigations made by the joint DPJ/JIP committee on economic partnership agreements into the effects that the agreement would have on domestic industry. The Chair of the DPJ’s Economic Partnership Research Committee, Motohisa Furukawa pointed out: “The DPJ’s basic position is to promote high-level economic partnership agreements, including the TPP, and consequently we value the agreement in principle for encouraging other countries in the Asian-Pacific region to consider joining the TPP.” However, he also summed up issues the opposition parties have with the agreement, saying that the process of reaching the agreement, information disclosure following the signing and dialogue with citizens at various levels were all inadequate. Moreover, although the TPP is not yet in force, funds for related measures had already been allocated in the supplementary budget. Furukawa said that “the government response has been extremely disingenuous, and our national interest is currently not being protected.”
DPJ Next Minister of Justice Takako Suzuki explained about the party’s bill for eliminating discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, saying, “The legislation will promote the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace and in schools.” Policy Research Committee Chair Goshi Hosono commented on the background behind the drafting of the proposal and its future progress, stating determinedly, “A cross-party parliamentary league to eliminate discrimination against the LGBT community was set up last year, but since a large number of LDP members were cautious about compiling legislation on this issue, the DPJ proceeded to investigate the matter independently, and we have today made our proposal. If we can obtain approval for the bill within the DPJ, following strong urging from the LGBT community we would like to work to draft a concrete proposal through discussions with other parties, including the LDP.”
|
|
|
| ▲このページのトップへ |
|
.jpg)
