Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

Results of House of Councillors Election

1. The 23rd election of the House of Councillors was held on July 21 with the voting and vote-counting finishing on the same day. As a result, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 65 seats and, together with the seats won by the ruling coalition partner New Komeito, the LDP-Komeito alliance has obtained substantially more than half of the seats in the House of Councillor, giving birth to a gigantic ruling coalition which also has more than two-third of the seats in the House of Representatives. The ruling parties have come to have a strong power in the Diet. It is expected that they will modestly listen to the voices of the people and working people in advancing policies.
   
   
2. On the contrary, any of the opposition parties which had been in disorder could not increase their seats. The Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) which had been the biggest party in the House of Councillors before the election suffered a decisive setback and secured only 17 seats, decreasing its seats to 59 seats including uncontested seats. For more than 6 months since their loss of the general election last year, the DPJ had strived for its revival and fought the election under the slogan of the politics which attaches importance to the people. Nevertheless, it could not go so far as to regain the confidence of the people, and the results were indeed disappointing ones.
   
   The DPJ is requested to seriously respond to the results of the election and to make all efforts for its revival to regain the confidence of the people. The DPJ is also requested to play a role as the biggest opposition party in the Diet and to continue to confront the LDP as the voice of living and working people.
   
   
3. Through the election this time, people have given Abe administration a great power. However, any policy should be advanced through sincere discussions between ruling and opposition parties in the Diet and any reckless act by the ruling parties is not permissible.
   
   The so-called Abenomics which Abe administration is expecting to advance through “shooting three arrows”, i.e. through launching three main economic policies, involves high risks. Moreover, the alleviation of worker protection regulation which will be discussed from now on is problematic. What a priority should be placed on now is raising the level of the livelihood of the people. In the midst of rapidly declining birthrate and advancing aging society, the establishment of social security systems which cover and support all generations is the subject which admits of no delay.
   
   
4. RENGO gave backing to 9 candidates stood from its own organization for proportionate representation constituencies and campaigned en masse for their success, but only 6 of them could win. It is a regret that the number of the votes cast by writing candidate’s name was just 1.60 million votes. It was a little bit more than 1.59 million votes gained in the former election, but far less than the expected and satisfactory results. RENGO would like to express its hearty thanks to all the people concerned including officials and staff of its affiliates and locals and their families, and their retired people, for their efforts for strenuous campaigns in the midst of difficult situation.
   
   Aiming at realizing “a secure society built around work at its core”, RENGO will continue to demand the settlement of employment uncertainty and livelihood uncertainty, and the correction of disparities in the society, and will surely do its utmost to realize policies and systems, as the representative of working people.