Naoto Kan, former representative of the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), has proposed the creation of a new party offering places of activity for baby boomers who will begin to massively retire in 2007. 
The new party is intended to use the wisdom and vitality of baby boomers in various social activities, not leaving them merely to be idle at home after compulsory retirement. 

People classified as first wave baby boomers were born between 1947 and 1949, and in the peak year of 1949, about 2.7 million of them were born. The boomers experienced university campus disputes in and around 1970 and supported the country's high economic growth, but will begin retiring in 2007. 
Kan, born in 1946, also regards himself as a baby boomer. He was defeated in an election to choose the DPJ's representative in September at the hand of Seiji Maehara but has never been in low spirits and is energetically trying to realize the creation of the new party, his aides said. 

In mid-October, Kan proposed the party creation on his Internet homepage, and several dozen acquaintances and friends favorably responded to the proposal. 

He will shortly hold a meeting to prepare for the establishment of a secretariat. 
He said the new party will create a fundraising support setup and advance it to local assemblies, introduce lecturers of languages and the games of go and shogi and carry out research and development of technologies to improve the environment and living conditions. 

Salarymen, who feel life worth living by belonging to companies and working for them, are liable to become underfoot at home after compulsory retirement. 
Kan said, "Salarymen in the Tokyo and Osaka regions do not know their neighbors and have no friends other than their wives. Even their wives may not be their friends. How do they find their own identify in their communities? Here lies great potential (for the new party)." 

The basic concept of the new party, to be called the "Dankai (baby-boomer) Party," is the creation of places for boomers to rebuild human relations in cities where such relations have become limited and so that they can enjoy life in the 20-30 years after retirement. 

But baby boomers are said to be argumentative and particular about language. "Unwelcome are those who want their talk to be listened to so that they can make complaints. I want those wishing to do something," said Kan who served as a health and welfare minister when he was a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. 

He said he will establish an information exchange network nationwide by creating a secretariat and using the Internet. 
"There is no need to hurry. Whether we like it or not, the 'retirement generation' will increase in five years' time," he said.