Opposite Leader Steps Down

President of Democratic Party, Katsuya Okada, the leader of biggest opposite party in the Diet, announced his resignation with his intention of not running for presidential election of the party in September. In the election of House of Councillors earlier this month, Okada failed in implementing his campaign promise to prevent the power for constitutional amendment from occupying two-third majority in the House. He took responsibility of it. However, DP does not have competitive figure for next president, only consuming leadership.

In his press conference, Okada emphasized his achievement in the election as much as possible. “We could have a certain achievement in the election of House of Councillors. With marking first few steps to resurgence, we reached a point for a change,” told Okada. Then he said that having new leader would be preferable both for the party and politics with alternative power to current administration, expecting succeeding his policy of broad cooperation of the opposite parties.

Okada established a new type of framework of raising integrated candidate with Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party in each of 32 electoral districts, that resulted in winning 11 seats. But, looking at whole election, DP lost its 13 seats in the House. The leading parties could achieve two-third majority for constitutional amendment with other small conservative parties and independent lawmakers.

With sudden announcement of stepping down, DP lawmakers embarked on new campaign for presidential election. The group supporting Okada’s presidency expects one of Deputy Presidents, Renhou or Akira Nagatsuma to run for the election. Conservative lawmakers who are against coalition with JCP support former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seiji Maehara, or former Minister of Environment, Goshi Hosono. Opposite party coalition will be the focus of the election.

It is inevitable that the presidential election will show further separation inside DP. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been willing to cooperate with conservative DP lawmakers for constitutional amendment. If Maehara or Hosono takes seat of the president, DP may approach the leading coalition for that issue. Even if they lose, dispute over the opposite coalition will remain with ignorance of negative impact of internal mess. As the opposite party cannot settle its own problem, Abe administration is simply getting stronger.