CRA Leader Ogawa Announces Decision to Disband

Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)–Centrist Reform Alliance leader Junya Ogawa announced on Wednesday that the Japanese opposition party will disband after completing liquidation procedures. At an extraordinary meeting of party executives on the day, the CRA decided on its dissolution following the failure of its planned merger with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito. The decision came only less than eight months after the CRA was formed in mid-January ahead of the House of Representatives election in February, in which the new party suffered a crushing defeat. All CRA lawmakers in the Lower House, except for one former CDP member, will leave the party but are expected to form a unified parliamentary group in the Lower House. At a press conference after Wednesday’s party meeting, Ogawa said, “We will promote middle-of-the-road politics through the formation of a new party and reunification with Komeito.” The CRA will continue to exist for the time being with the remaining member, in order to settle its finances and support its unsuccessful candidates in the February election. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]