Japan Press Weekly

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2011 October 19 - 25 [TOKYO]

DPJ, LDP Tokyo assemblypersons go on Olympics-study trips

Members of the Democratic and Liberal Democratic parties of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly are going on an overseas trip in November, arousing criticism from Tokyo residents.

On October 18, the assembly’s steering committee board approved the two parties’ tours abroad in the name of conducting an on-site study of the Olympics in defiance of opposition from the Japanese Communist Party.

JCP representative in the metropolitan assembly Oyama Tomoko demanded the cancellation of these trips, saying, “We have lots of things to do such as providing assistance to the disaster-hit region and victims as well as improving Tokyo’s preparedness against natural calamities,” and stressed the non-necessity of such overseas visits, especially at a time like this.

Three DPJ members of the assembly will visit London, the host city of the 2012 Summer Olympics, and Berlin November 6-12. Five LDP members will travel to South America, including the 2016 Game host Rio de Janeiro November 4-13.

The DPJ’s 10 assemblypersons were planning to go on a trip in October, but they cancelled the plan due to the prolonged assembly session. Cancelation and translation charges amounted to about 1.8 million yen paid from Tokyo’s tax revenues, and this is coming under fire for the losses incurred.