Tokyo, Oct. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japanese opposition party Komeito launched a new leadership team under Mitsunari Okamoto, who was elected party leader at a convention in Tokyo on Saturday. Following the collapse of the three-way merger with the Centrist Reform Alliance and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Komeito aims to rebuild the party ahead of unified local elections next spring and the election for the Senate, the upper parliamentary chamber, in 2028. Okamoto called on party members at the convention to “work together to realize centrist politics” that allow people to live with a sense of security and hope. “Today marks the departure of a new Komeito,” he said, urging party members to unite. The new leader set a goal of victory for all party candidates in the unified local elections. On Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s policy of a temporary reduction in the consumption tax on food products, Okamoto criticized it as ineffective in tackling inflation. He also criticized a review of Japan’s three nonnuclear principles, another policy of Takaichi, saying that it is against the country’s postwar stance. Okamoto, 61, who worked in the financial industry and was elected to the House of Representatives, the lower parliamentary chamber, six times, served as Komeito’s policy chief before the establishment of the CRA and later as its policy chief. His term of office as head of Komeito is two years. Makoto Nishida, 64, retained his post as Komeito secretary-general, while former land minister Hiromasa Nakano, 48, became policy chief and acting secretary-general. The leadership team was reshuffled following the return of Lower House members to the party from the CRA due to its disbandment. Toshiko Takeya, who served as Komeito leader, became acting leader. Junya Ogawa, leader of the Democratic Reform Party, which was formed last month following the breakup of the CRA and forms a joint parliamentary group with Komeito in the lower chamber, also attended the convention. None of CDP executives were invited. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
