MONTHLY NEWS
September 1997

Junior Politicians Meet in Children's Parliament

A two-day "Children's Diet" was held on July 29 and 30 in the House of Councillors, the upper house of Japan's National Diet. The session featured discussions among 251 schoolchildren on a wide range of issues, from bullying at schools to international relations.

The session was held to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the upper house. The young parliamentarians consisted of fifth and sixth graders and middle school students from around the country.

On the first day, the junior politicians talked about six different issues in 11 councils. One council discussed ways kids can get to spend more time with elderly and handicapped people.

A girl from Tochigi Prefecture said she would like more information about volunteer work that elementary school students can perform. And a student from Akita Prefecture in a wheelchair talked about her life as a handicapped person.

In the full session on the second day, the children reported on the council-meeting discussions the day before. Some kids made a plea to do something about the problem of bullying at schools, saying that one solution could be hiring teachers to deal specifically with children's personal problems.

Some participants noted that it's important to come into contact with nature to deepen one's understanding of the environment.

At the end of the two-day session a joint declaration was adopted. The statement appealed for the protection of the natural environment and expressed the hope of becoming friends with children all over the world.

Attending the Children's Diet were Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, Health and Welfare Minister Jun'ichiro Koizumi, Education Minister Takashi Kosugi, and Director-General of the Environment Agency Michiko Ishii. They said they were very impressed by the mature views participants expressed on various issues.

Photos: (Top) Children fill the chamber of the upper house; (above) Ryutaro Hashimoto, the real prime minister, addresses the junior assembly. (Asahi Shogakusei Shimbun)