October 3, 2017

Democratic Party Acting President Edano Yukio on October 2 at a press conference held in Tokyo announced his resignation from the party and the foundation of a new political party named the “Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan”.

Edano expressed his intent to call on DP Dietmembers, who are unwilling to merge with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko’s Hope Party, to join his new party. The DP at its parliamentarians’ general assembly at the end of last month confirmed that the party will merge with Koike’s party. Regarding this, Edano said, “Unlike DP President Maehara, I judge that the Hope Party’s fundamental ideological orientation and policies are different from the DP’s.”

Edano stressed that the Prime Minister Abe-led government has impaired constitutionalism and has a dim view of democracy. Edano said, “The new party aims to become the Abe administration’s toughest opponent.”

Asked about collaboration with other opposition forces, Edano showed his intent to focus on cooperation with citizens’ movements such as the Civil Alliance. Citing the Civil Alliance’s request to field a joint opposition candidate in single-seat constituencies in the coming general election, Edano said, “I’ll keep in mind the fact that the DP previously accepted this request.”

Later on the same day, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira said to the press in the Diet building, “Some of DP lawmakers began moving to fight in the general election from the standpoint of repealing the war laws and opposing PM Abe’s ambition to change Article 9 of the Constitution. The JCP welcomes this move.”

Koike pointed out that the political direction of Edano’s new party follows the past agreements made by four opposition party leaders. Koike expressed his hope for cooperation and collaboration with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and said, “The JCP will work to create an agreement with Edano’s party to reaffirm the consensus that the four party alliance had reached over the past two years, further develop it, and form a ‘powerful opposition force.’”

Past related article:
> Civil Alliance appeals to opposition parties to unite in general election [September 22, 2017]