They are closely watching the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race. In fact, they will be the first to receive the verdict of voters on the party under its new leader.
On March 13, a group of 40 LDP members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly showed up in front of the venue of the LDP convention in Tokyo and started handing out leaflets harshly criticizing the party leadership as thousands of rank-and-file members hurried into the Nippon Budokan hall.
Wearing white headbands calling for "the regeneration of the LDP," the rebellious group defied orders from party leaders to stop their demonstration, while inside the hall Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori promised a party election to choose his successor.