CDP, Komeito to Field Own Candidates in Unified Local Elections

Tokyo, March 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito both plan to field their own candidates in the unified local elections in spring 2027, party sources said Monday. The plans to fight the simultaneous gubernatorial, mayoral and regional assembly elections on their own will be endorsed at their respective party conventions later this month. The CDP and Komeito will thus refrain from merging with the Centrist Reform Alliance, formed in January by the two parties’ members in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, at least for the time being. “We will give top priority to helping our party members do their best in the unified elections,” CDP chief Shunichi Mizuoka told a press conference Monday. “This implies that the CDP will exist until the local polls.” “We will contest under the banner of the CDP,” a senior party member said. The party’s fiscal 2026 action policy, set to be adopted at its convention on March 29, will reflect the campaign plan, now under examination between the party leadership and regional assembly members, people familiar with the matter said. Meanwhile, Komeito Secretary-General Makoto Nishida explained the plan to field own candidates during an online meeting Friday with regional assembly members of the former partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. “It’s impossible to join the CRA and fight the elections due to time constraints,” a party source said. “Joining hands soon with the CRA is particularly difficult for the party’s regional assembly members because of their long partnership with the LDP.” Komeito is set to hold an extraordinary party convention on Saturday. CRA leader Junya Ogawa told reporters Monday that his party will work closely with the CDP and Komeito, saying, “The most important thing for the three parties is to cooperate and maximize the number of election winners.” Prior to the CRA’s stunning defeat in the Lower House election last month, remaining CDP and Komeito members–House of Councillors, or Upper House, lawmakers and regional assembly members–were slated to join the newly formed centrist party after the election. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]