Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

Results of General Election

1. In the 46th general election held December 16 2012, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) fell far below the seats that it had before the election and ended up gaining only 57 seats out of the total seats of 480. The general election of this time was the one to evaluate the achievements made by the DPJ government over the last three years and three months and, at the same time, to appeal to the voters about what a country Japan should aim at. People’s verdict to the DPJ was very severe. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which had been in the opposition won an outright majority of 294 seats and, at the same time, when added with the seats gained by the New Komeito which will join in the coalition with the LDP, the total seats that they won reached two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives – a supermajority that would allow them to override the vetoes of the House of Councillors.
   
   The turnout rate recorded the postwar low of 59.3%, which showed how low the interest of the people in the politics was.
   
   
2. The DPJ government left, during more than three years, many achievements such as enrichment of child support and childcare support, promotion of comprehensive social security and tax system reforms and improvement of worker protection legislation. However, it is a great pity that their voices to appeal these achievements did not reach the people and was not evaluated rightly by the people.
   
   In the politics of our country, however, the role to be played by the DPJ is not small at all. The DPJ has become indeed the second biggest party in the House of Representatives, but it still is the biggest party in the House of Councillors. Thinking deeply about the responsibility, the DPJ is requested to put the party back on its feet as early as possible as a party to promote, in a body, policies from the view point of ordinary citizens and working people, to restore the confidence of the people and to redouble its efforts for taking the government again.
   
   
3. In the election campaign, RENGO developed activities to appeal to its members the policy side achievements realized by the DPJ government so far, as part of its activities to play a social role for improving the livelihood of workers. Moreover, RENGO called out to the public in the streets and at the workplaces from the view point of trade union movement, telling them that it is essential for the DPJ government to continue so as to realize “a secure society built around work as its core.”. RENGO would like to express its sincere thanks to affiliates, locals, local councils and their members and families for their dedicated contributions to the election campaigns day and night.
   
   Unfortunately, the results were quite regrettable ones, but it is important to make efforts for realizing policies hereafter as we did in the past. RENGO will continue its activities toward realizing “a secure society centered on work as its core” and try to advance it through policy consultation with each political party.
   
   
4. Representing working people, RENGO strongly requests the LDP and the New Komeito which will become ruling parties through the general election this time to run the Diet so as to advance necessary policies through responding to the voices of the people widely and on the basis of sincere discussions between ruling and opposition parties.