Establishment of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan

Deputy President of Democratic Party, or former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yukio Edano, announced on Monday that he would establish a new party named Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Leading new party as the president, Edano expects to collect votes against Shinzo Abe administration in the election of House of Representatives later this month. The election will be the choice among unilateral power led by Abe, emerging conservatives led by Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, and traditional liberal power negative on constitutional amendment.

Edano expressed his disappointment on the decision of DP President, Seiji Maehara, which was to join the campaign of Koike’s Party of Hope. “Although Mr. Maehara insisted that DP’s principles and policies would be implemented in the new framework, I have to decide it to be different from what we think,” said Edano in the press conference. It was reasonable for Edano to say so, because Koike had unequivocally told that Party of Hope would exclude newcomers who had different views.

Certain number of lawmakers in DP who were against Abe’s new security legislation were supposed to be excluded. Edano labeled that new security legislation should be abolished and criticized Abe’s policy to write existence of Self-defense Force in the Constitution. He opposed Abe’s plan of raising consumption tax rate from 8% to 10% in October 2019 as unable to be understood by the people. On nuclear power generation, he argued that new party would achieve no nuclear power generation as soon as possible.

Some lawmakers affiliated to liberal side are joining Edano’s CDPJ. Former Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, whose former Cabinet included Edano as Chief Cabinet Secretary at the time of East Japan Great Earthquake, revealed his intention to join it. Former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, Akira Nagatsuma, or the group of former Socialist Party of Japan led by Hirotaka Akamatsu will follow Edano. While it is likely that former DP leaders like Yoshihiko Noda, Katsuya Okada or Jun Azumi will not join and run for the election as independents, DP will separate three groups.

The main structure of the election is determined as struggle of three powers: leading coalition of Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, moderate conservative group of Party of Hope, DP and some others, and CDPJ in cooperation with Japan Communist Party or Social Democratic Party. As it is expected that votes negative on Abe’s policy or political principle will be separated in two, it is likely for LDP candidates will take advantage in the campaign.