Members of a Japanese Opposition party that split after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took power eight years ago are reuniting as speculation grows of an early general election following Abe’s decision to step down for health reasons.
They are preparing a united front as the governing Liberal Democratic Party plans a vote on September 14 to choose Abe’s replacement as party chief. The LDP’s leader is virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister because of its parliamentary majority.
The merged group chose Yukio Edano, a former chief Cabinet secretary, as its leader on Thursday and adopted the name Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the name of the party he previously led.
The new party combines Edano’s group with the Democratic Party for the People, as well as some formerly independent lawmakers. It has 149 members, compared to about 400 for the LDP, and would need an alliance with numerous other opposition lawmakers to take power.
“We will do our utmost to become an option for leadership change in the next general election,” Edano said at a news conference.
The new party said it aims to improve an economy hit by the coronavirus, end the country’s dependence on nuclear power, and promote a diverse and gender-equal society with government support for the weak and needy.