Japan Press Weekly

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2019 June 12 - 18 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Opposition forces decide on joint candidates in all 32 single-seat constituencies in Upper House election

The list of names of joint opposition candidates in all 32 single-seat constituencies in the House of Councilors election to be held this coming summer was announced on June 13.

On the day, the secretaries-general of four opposition parties, including the Japanese Communist Party, and the Lower House parliamentary group “Reviewing Group on Social Security Policy” held talks in the Diet building. They agreed to jointly support one candidate in all 32 single-member districts in the July Upper House election.

Along with the candidate list, they agreed to seek to achieve a victory of all 32 candidates through electoral cooperation; to accelerate negotiations for fielding joint opposition candidates with a possible snap general election in mind; and to demand an early opening of both Houses’ Budget Committee meetings and an swift submission of the results of the 2019 pension finance verification to the Diet.

At a press conference after the meeting, JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira said, “Finally, we succeeded in establishing a framework for waging a united struggle in all 32 single-seat constituencies in the Upper House election campaign to drive the ruling Liberal Democratic-Komei coalition and its supplementary force Nippon Ishin no Kai party into a minority force in the Diet. This is highly significant.”

Furthermore, Koike noted that in 18 of the 32 single-seat districts, joint candidates and opposition parties have already signed or reached an agreement on election policies. He said, “Opposition parties’ cooperation has been further developed. The JCP will work hard to strengthen our cooperation.”

Past related articles:
> Opposition parties affirm common pledges for Upper House election [May 30, 2019]
> JCP member chosen as joint opposition candidate in Fukui in Upper House election [May 22, 2019]