The Democratic Party of Japan, hoping to rebrand itself as the only viable alternative to the Liberal Democratic Party, unveiled a hastily resurrected platform for next month's Upper House election with vows to help the middle class, revive its reactor phaseout goal and oppose any push to amend the Constitution.

As it did in past campaigns, the DPJ is calling its platform a "manifesto," noting its seven pillars include supporting the middle class, bolstering the welfare system and investing more in human capital, including education using manga.

The DPJ in particular is taking exception to LDP Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics" economic policies and his desire to revise the Constitution.