There are 727 lawmakers in the Diet, with 480 in the House of Representatives and 247 in the House of Councilors. Yet the number of Diet groups -- not political parties -- is said to be more than 1,000 and growing.
Of these groups, one that came under the spotlight recently is a league of members supporting relatives of people thought to have been abducted to North Korea. It is led by Shoichi Nakagawa, a Lower House member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
LDP sources said that Diet groups can be inaugurated if more than two lawmakers want to act together for some purpose. After a chairman, secretary general and secretariat chief are named, an inaugural general meeting can be held.