PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Takashi Kawamura,
Mayor of Nagoya City

The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

"Aiming for Greater Autonomy under a DPJ Administration"

Takashi Kawamura, a former businessman and fifth-term House of Representatives member, was overwhelmingly elected mayor of Nagoya, Japan's fourth-largest metropolis, in April.

Backed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, Kawamura beat former trade ministry bureaucrat Masahiko Hosokawa, who was supported by the local chapters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito party, by pledging to reduce the local residents' tax.

Like many governors and mayors, Kawamura, 60, is advocating greater local autonomy while national legislators are trying to cling to pork-barrel politics.

As the DPJ aims to wrest power from the LDP, the outspoken 60-year-old will come to the club armed with in-depth knowledge of the DPJ's anatomy and a recipe for economic growth.

MENU
Sandwich Plate: Smoked chicken, wholegrain mustard, salad & pickles on rye.
Hot Plate: Mackerel with herb cous-cous, spiced aubergine, red pepper sauce and seasonal salad.

Takashi Kawamura, Mayor of Nagoya City