JIP Adopts Policy Agenda for 2026

Tokyo, March 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Innovation Party, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, approved its policy agenda for 2026 at its first party convention since becoming the LDP’s new coalition partner last year. After suffering a sluggish performance in the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, the JIP aims to demonstrate its presence by pressing the LDP to realize the JIP’s signature policies. In his address at the party convention in Tokyo, JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura listed issues such as a reduction in the number of Lower House seats, the proposed creation of secondary capitals and social security reform. Referring to the history of many parties that formed coalitions with the LDP eventually disappearing, he said, “Let us not seek stability and safety, but move politics forward with resolve.” In a video message, Prime Minister and LDP President Sanae Takaichi said, “We will fulfill our heavy responsibility to realize the policies included in the coalition agreement one by one.” Regarding constitutional revision, amendments to the Imperial House Law and the reduction of parliamentary seats, she called on the JIP to “challenge these issues together.” From the LDP, Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki attended the gathering as a guest. The JIP’s policy agenda calls for having the Diet, the country’s parliament, enact a bill to reduce the number of Lower House seats by 10 pct during the ongoing Diet session, in a bid to lead political reforms that the LDP alone could never achieve. The party also seeks to realize the so-called Osaka metropolis plan for regional administrative reorganization and establish a law to create secondary capitals. In the February election for the Lower House, the LDP won a landslide victory, securing 316 seats, far exceeding a majority. In contrast, the JIP won 36 seats, almost unchanged from its strength before the election. At a press conference after the party convention, Yoshimura said, “We have an equal relationship with the LDP, although the number (of JIP lawmakers) is not large.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]