The newly created Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has released its campaign pledges for the Oct. 22 Lower House election, coming out against a planned consumption tax hike and vowing to end the country's reliance on nuclear power.
The party, formed by from the liberal wing of Democratic Party, which effectively disbanded late last month, pledged Saturday to oppose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on several key issues. These include the consumption tax hike from 8 percent to 10 percent scheduled for October 2019, the continued dependence on nuclear power and any revision to the pacifist Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9.
The policy plank of the CDP, led by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, regarding the tax hike and nuclear power are similar to those of another new party, Kibo no To (Party of Hope), which is led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.