The opposition camp in Japanese politics has made a series of blunders in recent weeks, including a fund scandal that led to the resignation of Yoshimi Watanabe as leader of Your Party.
Having moved to a university in Tokyo this month, I have had more opportunities to meet with opposition lawmakers, mainly those from the Democratic Party of Japan. Such meetings often leave me with disappointment over the current state of Japanese politics, rather than with hope for new developments.
DPJ chief Banri Kaieda's primary goal appears to be avoiding a split of the largest opposition party — so much so that in making decisions on the party's policies on important matters on which opinions of its members might be divided he is ready to compromise in favor of unity among party members.