The Democratic Party of Japan unveiled on Tuesday a revised version of its campaign platform that includes a growth strategy centering on domestic demand, following criticism its original manifesto failed to address this and other issues.
The DPJ revised the platform plank on entering a free-trade agreement with the United States by dropping the word "conclusion" and adding the phrase "the promotion of negotiations" to avoid a backlash from domestic farmers.
Party policy chief Masayuki Naoshima said the DPJ recognizes that eventual conclusions of such agreements are "absolutely necessary" and will help boost the nation's food self-sufficiency ratio.