National Jul 28, 2021
The Upper-House politician served from 1977 to 2016 and helped launch the Democratic Party of Japan.
Film / Reviews Jun 11, 2020
‘Why You Can’t Be Prime Minister’: A Sisyphean slog toward the top office
by James Hadfield
Shinzo Abe has been with us for so long now, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when Japan’s premiership seemed to rotate as frequently as the membership of AKB48. Junya Ogawa was one young hopeful who thought he had a shot at ...
Commentary / Japan Sep 15, 2019
The Hatoyama administration's significance
by Robert D. Eldridge
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may wish to forget this time as a bad dream, but insead he and must try to learn from it, as should the opposition parties, the voters and the alliance managers who backed the wrong horse.
National / Politics Mar 9, 2016
New opposition party expected to push constitutional change without prioritizing Article 9
A new opposition party to be launched March 27 through a merger between the Democratic Party of Japan and Ishin-no-To (Japan Innovation Party) will uphold constitutionalism and envisage a "future-oriented constitution" that matches with time, lawmakers of the two parties said Tuesday. Citing a draft ...
National / Politics | ANALYSIS Jan 28, 2016
Lackluster polls, maneuvering by LDP may give DPJ a drubbing in July election
by Reiji Yoshida and Tomohiro Osaki
The Democratic Party of Japan is in the throes of an identity crisis, a fact not lost on delegates meeting for the party's annual convention Saturday in Tokyo. The support rate for the DPJ, once considered a viable alternative to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, ...
National Jan 24, 2016
The Democratic Party of Japan plans to urge embattled economy minister Akira Amari to clarify graft allegations made against him in a tabloid magazine.
National / Politics Nov 12, 2015
DPJ on the rocks amid calls for merger with Ishin no To
by Mizuho Aoki
Japan's largest opposition party appears to be in danger of falling apart as some core members demand it merge with Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party).
National / Politics Oct 14, 2015
Opposition contests chaotic Upper House vote, assails LDP for amending record of events
by Mizuho Aoki
Was the vote valid? The chairman's voice was lost amid yelling by opposition lawmakers as he declared the passage of controversial security bills through the Upper House in a special committee session last month. And the shouting is still ongoing, as the opposition camp accuses the ...
Commentary / Japan | SENTAKU MAGAZINE Jun 24, 2015
With the opposition camp, notably the DPJ, in tatters, everything is working to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's advantage.
National / Politics Mar 1, 2015
DPJ vows at convention to hold firm against Abe's security legislation
The Democratic Party of Japan pledged to stand firm against the government's security legislation in the Diet as it held its party convention in Tokyo on Sunday. In adopting an action plan, the main opposition party also lashed out at "Abenomics," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ...
Commentary / Japan | SENTAKU MAGAZINE Feb 24, 2015
Can new leader Katsuya Okada change the Democratic Party of Japan's losing ways?
Commentary | COUNTERPOINT Jan 24, 2015
Can the DPJ reinvigorate Japanese democracy?
by Jeff Kingston
Columbia University's Gerald Curtis recently wrote, "It is a sad commentary on Japan's politics that after nearly 70 years of democracy a competitive party system has all but disintegrated." The Democratic Party of Japan is a culprit in this disintegration and slim hopes for a ...