At its annual convention held in Tokyo on Sunday, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) failed to provide a clear strategy on interparty cooperation ahead of April’s local elections and upcoming by-elections, or for a potential snap general election this year.
What instead emerged from the convention of the country’s largest opposition party was a fundamental ambiguity over opposition groups such as the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and conservative Nippon Ishin no Kai, with this coming as the CDP struggles to define its own identity.
The party presented a report on last year’s activities and advanced a general plan for this year, including a strategy for parliamentary discussions and policy proposals to counteract the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s dominance in parliament, both approved by party members.