Marutei Tsurunen re-elected to upper house of Japanese Diet

Organic farming, environment, and educational reform platform appealed to voters

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Marutei Tsurunen, who was born in Finland in 1940 under the name Martti Turunen and granted Japanese citizenship in 1979, was re-elected to the upper house of Japan's Diet in Sunday's elections.
      He is a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, which won a resounding victory in the 2007 elections. Tsurunen himself gained 241,000 votes, a distinct rise compared to his 160,000 votes in the previous poll.
     
Tsurunen became the first European-born member of the Diet of Japan in 2002 when he entered the House of Councillors after the resignation of another Parlamentarian.
      In his election campaign Tsurunen focused on his three favourite issues: organic farming, the reform of the education system, and environmental protection.
      In fact, a law supporting organic farming, drafted at his initiative, was passed in Japan last December.
      "It was my greatest achievement during the last term", said Tsurunen in plain Finnish.
     
Regarding educational issues, Tsurunen has proposed that Japan should learn from the Finnish educational system.
      "Finland is very much appreciated here, and this fact has been a good starting point for me", he notes.
      The upcoming term will be the last one for Marutei Tsurunen, who is already 67 years old. However, he believes that the Democratic Party of Japan - now the main opposition grouping - will assume cabinet responsibility still while he is a member of the Diet.
      It could happen, if the Democrats manage to force PM Shinzo Abe from office. Despite his defeat in the upper house elections, Abe has thus far insisted he will not resign.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Marutei Tsurunen´s political dream in Japan fades (13.9.2005)

Links:
  Marutei Tsurunen (Wikipedia)

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