In an Upper House by-election in Yamaguchi Prefecture on April 28, Mr. Kiyoshi Ejima, the Liberal Democratic Party candidate supported by Komeito, overwhelmingly defeated former Justice Minister Hideo Hiraoka, supported by the Democratic Party of Japan, and two other candidates. The election result boosts Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's hopes to end opposition control of the Upper House by winning a nationwide election to be held this summer.
For DPJ chief Banri Kaieda, the election result underlined the fact that he is at a critical point in his effort to revitalize the party, which is languishing following its miserable defeat in the Dec. 16 Lower House election. It is crucial for Mr. Kaieda to set a political agenda clearly distinguished from the LDP's.
In doing so, he should champion the party platform, which says that the DPJ will rectify unjust inequality in society and create society in which every citizen can live a wholesome and cultured life with the help of a sustainable social welfare system.