Japanese opposition parties agree to create new political party
The main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), and the smaller Komeito party, which ended its more than 25-year coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last year, have agreed to merge centrist forces under a new entity named the Centrist Reform Party. Both parties will continue to exist independently alongside the new formation, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito said.
Leadership of the new party will be shared, with Saito and CDPJ head Yoshihiko Noda serving as co-leaders. Initially, only lawmakers from the lower house of both parties are expected to join the Centrist Reform Party, while members of the House of Councillors and local government officials will remain in their original parties, according to reports citing sources.
Saito added that Komeito will refrain from fielding candidates in lower house constituencies under the new party. Komeito is supported by Soka Gakkai, Japan’s largest lay Buddhist organization, which has historically been a major source of campaign support for the LDP.
Currently, the CDPJ holds 148 seats in the lower house, with Komeito adding 24, giving the new alliance a combined total of 172 seats. In comparison, the ruling LDP and its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), control 233 of the 465 lower house seats.
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