Creating a social security framework for all generations

October 27 , 2017

Komeito’s Natsuo Yamaguchi at an Oct. 26 press conferenceKomeito’s Natsuo Yamaguchi at an Oct. 26 press conference

On October 26, Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi held a press conference at the party’s headquarters, commenting on the results of the House of Representative elections on October 22. The following is a summary of the points he addressed:

• The party will be meeting on November 10 to hold a national prefectural representatives conference to reflect upon the results of the recent elections and thoroughly discuss how to improve future efforts. In any case, Komeito was able to work with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to achieve a sizeable majority to continue the LDP-Komeito government.

• Having recently signed a coalition government agreement with the LDP, one of the core policy goals is to establish a social security framework that is “applicable to all generations” and promote a “revolution in fostering human capital.” Both are policies the Komeito has consistently advocated for through the years and it is notable that they have become a central part of the platform of the ruling coalition. Ensuring these policies come to fruition will be Komeito’s role and responsibility, a task that should mark a historic chapter in its development as a party.

• Large-scale policy reform, such as laying down a new social security framework for all generations, can only be effectively realized by maintaining close rapport between national and local governments. As such, Komeito must play a major role not only at the national level but also at the municipal and prefectural levels. Given the recent election results, Komeito will focus on further fortifying its network of local assembly members across the nation.

• Considering the opposition parties’ decline in popularity as a result of the confusion they caused prior to the elections, Komeito has an increasingly important role to play within the ruling coalition to embrace wide-ranging public opinion and enable diverse viewpoints to be reflected in government policies and in the day-to-day governance of the nation. The party hopes to leverage the mistakes it has made and lessons learned to increase its effectiveness in future elections, both at the national and local levels.