Without exception, the Democratic Party of Japan will only back candidates that support the party's policies — including the consumption tax hike — in the Dec. 16 Lower House general election, DPJ Deputy Secretary General Jun Azumi said Tuesday.
Since the party took power in 2009, it has struggled to implement key policies, including the tax hike and participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, due to strong internal conflict led by some veteran lawmakers, including former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
In an interview with The Japan Times, Azumi acknowledged there are problems in the DPJ's decision-making process and said that this time, each candidate will have to sign an agreement forcing them to follow party policy.