Failed Centrist Candidates Urge Social Media Measures, Financial Aid

Tokyo, March 2 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s opposition Centrist Reform Alliance has held online hearings with its candidates who lost in the Feb. 8 general election, with many calling on the party to strengthen social media measures and increase financial support. The hearings took place on Saturday, following the party’s devastating defeat in the House of Representatives election. Many of the defeated candidates also questioned the formation of the party just before the election. The Centrist Reform Alliance was formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito in late January, bringing together then Lower House lawmakers from the two parties. All 187 defeated candidates fielded by the Centrist Reform Alliance were from the CDP. About 170 of them attended Saturday’s hearings. According to the centrist party’s secretary-general, Takeshi Shina, some hearing participants noted that social media greatly influenced the election, urging the party to consider countermeasures and legal regulations. Many participants requested financial support from the party to continue their political activities for the next election. Several participants suggested that the CDP and Komeito should have only cooperated in the election and not formed the new party. One participant demanded that the new party be dissolved. Some complained about the new party’s preferential treatment for former Komeito members under the proportional representation system. “We’ll fully digest (opinions from defeated candidates) as forward-looking discussions,” Centrist Reform Alliance leader Junya Ogawa said at the beginning of the hearings. The hearings were also attended by former party co-leaders Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito. The centrist party is currently facing moves among its members to leave the party. It remains uncertain whether House of Councillors and local assembly members from the CDP and Komeito will join the new party. Shina told reporters that the centrist party plans to compile an election review document around the Golden Week holiday period from late April through early May, after holding additional hearings. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]