Centrist Reform Alliance Co-Leaders Announce Resignations

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–The two co-leaders of the Centrist Reform Alliance announced their resignations on Monday, following the major opposition party’s crushing defeat in Japan’s general election on Sunday. The party, which was formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito prior to the House of Representatives election, will hold a leadership election, according to Yoshihiko Noda, one of the two co-leaders. “The election results are disastrous,” Noda said at a press conference on Monday morning. “We’ll naturally take responsibility.” Tetsuo Saito, the other co-leader, suggested that the party will select a new leader before the Diet vote to choose the next prime minister at a special session following the election. The centrist grouping is expected to abandon its co-leadership structure. Potential candidates for the leadership position include former CDP leader Kenta Izumi and former CDP Secretary-General Junya Ogawa. Also in the morning, Noda visited Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, a major supporter of the Centrist Reform Alliance, to report the election results. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]