EXCLUSIVE: Some in LDP Were Positive about Formation of CRA

Tokyo, April 22 (Jiji Press)–Some members of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party responded positively when they were told of a plan by two opposition parties to form the Centrist Reform Alliance, former CRA co-leader Yoshihiko Noda has revealed in an interview with Jiji Press. During the interview, held on Tuesday, Noda detailed how the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito agreed to form the CRA ahead of the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, in which the new party suffered a crushing defeat. Last autumn, when Komeito left the LDP-led ruling coalition, the CDP and Komeito began discussing the idea of forming a new party, according to Noda, who was CDP leader at the time. Noda said that he worked with then Komeito chief Tetsuo Saito and the secretaries-general of the two parties to find common ground. At the same time, they approached several moderate conservative members of the LDP for cooperation to realize a broad political realignment. In the interview, he did not name any of the LDP members. After Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s moves to dissolve the Lower House for a general election surfaced in early January, Noda and Saito met at a Tokyo hotel on Jan. 12. For the election, the CDP and Komeito considered coordinating their constituency candidates and creating a unified list of proportional representation candidates. As these options could take time, however, they ultimately decided to become a single party, according to Noda. In the election, the CRA did not field candidates hailing from Komeito in single-seat constituencies but prioritize them over former CDP members on its proportional representation lists. “We considered it a division of roles, not preferential treatment,” Noda stressed. “We had to choose between accepting the dwindling (public support for the CDP) or taking on a challenge,” Noda said, adding, however, “We didn’t imagine such a crushing defeat.” The general election ended with Takaichi’s LDP winning over two-thirds of the seats in the all-important lower chamber of the Diet. Regarding the talks to form a new party since last autumn, Noda said, “We originally planned to prepare for a possible political situation in April or later.” However, Takaichi’s decision to hold the snap election “stole our time,” he said. “While we suffered a humiliating defeat this time, the opposite (outcome) could still happen (in the future),” Noda said, calling for non-LDP politicians to come together to realize a two-party system in which a change of government is possible. Prior to the Lower House election, the CRA brought together then CDP and Komeito lawmakers in the Diet chamber, while the two parties’ lawmakers in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, and local assembly members remained in their respective parties. On a possible complete merger of the CDP, Komeito and the CRA, Noda said, “It’s desirable for us to confirm such a direction by the end of the year.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]