Former health minister Yoichi Masuzoe and five other Diet lawmakers formed a new political party Friday, following three other new minor parties that hope to give voters an alternative choice in the Upper House election his summer.
At a news conference to announce the formation of Shinto Kaikaku, Masuzoe slammed the administration of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama for damaging the public's trust in politics with a string of money scandals, dragging out a decision on relocating a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa, and failing to improve the sluggish economy.
"There is a sense of stagnation poisoning the public," said Masuzoe, who promised to tackle deflation, make Japan internationally competitive and eliminate money scandals.