The resignation of 75-year-old Tetsuzo Fuwa as chairman of the Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party earlier this month provides an opportunity for the party to rejuvenate itself ahead of next year's House of Councilors election and unified local elections.
However, the JCP has yet to find an effective way to keep from being buried by both the Liberal Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Japan, and numerous political insiders believe Fuwa will continue to pull the strings behind the scenes.
Fuwa, who held the top post since November 2000, announced his decision to step down at a party convention in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Jan. 14. The position will remain vacant for the time being, and Fuwa will remain a member of the party's Permanent Presidium.