CDP Stops Short of Specifying When to Merge into CRA

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan adopted its fiscal 2026 campaign policy at a regular party convention on Sunday, stopping short of specifying when it will decide whether to merge into the Centrist Reform Alliance. A draft of the campaign policy had included a plan to make that decision in June 2027, after unified local elections earlier that year. However, this plan was removed due to objections from party members. Ahead of this February’s House of Representatives election, the CDP and Komeito, a former ruling party, formed the CRA by uniting their Lower House lawmakers. The two parties’ House of Councillors lawmakers and local assembly members were also expected to join the CRA in stages. However, this became uncertain after the CRA suffered a crushing defeat in the February election. In the adopted campaign policy, the CDP states that it will clarify its ideals, policies and organizational independence. Regarding its relationships with the CRA and Komeito, the CDP vows to promote cooperation on common policy challenges in good faith. For the next Upper House election in summer 2028, the CDP will hold fresh and careful internal discussions. The party will also work proactively to find candidates for the unified local elections and ensure that as many of them as possible are elected. The party acknowledges that explanations to its members and prefectural chapters about the formation of the CRA were insufficient, criticizing the party leadership at the time for failing to appeal to voters and inviting defections. The CDP also took issue with the favorable treatment of Komeito members on the CRA’s proportional representation lists in the February election, arguing that this increased a sense of distrust among CDP supporters. Sunday’s party convention was attended by CRA leader Junya Ogawa, Komeito head Toshiko Takeya and Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]