New Party Nippon leader and ex-Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka announced Friday his party would carry on even though its only two lawmakers said they are going to leave and become independents.

House of Representatives member Makoto Taki and House of Councilors member Hiroyuki Arai demanded the party be dissolved Thursday after Tanaka announced the party's position on the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution in its platform without consulting them.

But Tanaka refused to disband the party.