Professional Luncheon,
Seiji Maehara,
Vice President, Democratic Party of Japan

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

Virtually all eyes in political circles these days are on Seiji Maehara. A member of the House of Representatives since 1993, Maehara may be in the running to become president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in party elections next month. In that post he could be leading Japan's largest opposition party into general elections, contesting seats with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which is currently saddled with weak and unpopular leadership.

It's a stunning comeback for Maehara. Just two years ago he was forced to step down from the helm of the DPJ in the wake of the so-called email scandal. Some analysts said his mishandling of the scandal revealed that he was too inexperienced to lead a major political party. Others contended it would take a long time for him to rebuild his damaged image. In addition, he has publicly called for someone to challenge current DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa in the coming elections. And he has been critical of the DPJ's policy platform, saying it won't allow the party to govern the country properly. Maehara, a defense hawk, is particularly critical of Ozawa's opposition to extending the participation of Self Defense Force supply ships in the U.S.-led coalition operation in the Indian Ocean.

His criticisms have led some DPJ members to call for Maehara to leave the party. Yet he is considered one of the top contenders to challenge Ozawa for the party's top post. His steps over the next several weeks are likely to affect not only his party's future but also the long-debated realignment of the Japanese political system as a whole.

Maehara will talk about his prospects in the upcoming party elections, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's new cabinet, the chances of a snap general election, and his next move.

Sandwich: Smoked salmon, red onion, rucola, sliced tomato & caper baguette with mustard cream cheese & green salad.
Hot Lunch: Parmesan crusted chicken breast on garlic mashed potatoes with spinach & tomato cream sauce, green salad & bread.
Dining Room Special: Citrus marinated sauteed sea bream, edamame steamed rice, sesame sauteed spinach & miso butter sauce with green salad, bread and dessert.

Seiji Maehara