The newly formed Kibo no To (Party of Hope), led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, announced Friday its platform for the Oct. 22 Lower House election, featuring promises to freeze a planned sales tax hike and promote debate on amending the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.
The party, which has said it aims to take power from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, released nine election pledges and a 10-point manifesto ahead of the start of official campaigning next Tuesday.
"To challenge taboos, we have put into this platform proposals that other parties haven't been able to talk about, or that they have wanted to propose but found themselves unable to propose," Koike told a news conference.