Japan DPFP Tamaki, Hashimoto Attend Debate in Leader Race

Tokyo, Aug. 22 (Jiji Press)–Democratic Party for the People lawmakers Yuichiro Tamaki and Mikihiko Hashimoto attended a debate session in Tokyo ahead of the opposition party’s Sept. 6 leadership election, whose campaign period started on Saturday. The current DPFP leader, Tamaki, 57, a member of the House of Representatives, pledged to expand the party, calling the next three years a preparation period to take power. Meanwhile, Hashimoto, 30, also a Lower House member, proposed scrapping the party’s policy of deciding whether to cooperate with the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling camp case by case. “The DPFP must evolve into a party that can lead the realization of policies,” Tamaki said in the debate. To that end, the DPFP aims to become the largest opposition party in the 2028 election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, to gain momentum toward the next Lower House election. Meanwhile, Hashimoto expressed a readiness to fight with the LDP head-on to oust the party from power. He also said that if he wins the leadership race, he would separate his party’s leader and its candidate for prime minister. Hashimoto added that he would name Tamaki as the candidate and have him bear responsibility for policy-making. At a joint press conference afterward, a question was raised about whether the party will participate in the coalition of the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party. Tamaki did not answer directly, stating: “The question is whether we can obtain the power to realize policies. When we become the largest opposition party, the LDP and Ishin will have lost their majority.” Hashimoto expressed opposition to allying with the LDP-JIP coalition at least for now. Tamaki said his party should not separate its leader and its candidate for prime minister. Meanwhile, Hashimoto said Tamaki tends to take everything on himself, calling for broader-based participation in DPFP management involving regional assembly members, rank-and-file party members and party supporters. This is a one-on-one race between Tamaki, who has been leading the party since its establishment in 2020, and Hashimoto, who is in his second term at the Lower House. The election will be held as Tamaki’s current term is ending. The candidates will compete for a total 159 points–53 points given to the party’s 53 lawmakers, another 53 points allocated to regional assembly members and the same number granted to rank-and-file party members and supporters nationwide. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]