2010 September 1 - 7 [
POLITICS]
Cuts in proportional representation seats questioned by DPJ freshmen
|
September 3, 2010
Newly elected Dietmembers of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan on September 2 decided to request that the two DPJ presidential candidates give careful consideration to the proposed cuts in the number of proportional representation seats in the Diet.
They were elected in proportional representation constituencies in the House of Representatives election in August last year.
One of the young parliamentarians said, “More time needs to be taken for inner-party discussion. This issue should also be discussed with all the other parties in the Diet.”
The DPJ presidential election campaign is currently being fought between Prime Minister Kan Naoto and former DPJ Secretary General Ozawa Ichiro. The vote is scheduled for September 14.
At a joint press conference with Ozawa on September 1, Kan called for the number of parliamentarians to be reduced by 120 (80 in Lower House and 40 in Upper House).
The DPJ in its manifesto for the House of Representatives election last year proposed a cut in the number of proportional representation seats in the Lower House by 80.
- Akahata, September 3, 2010
