Commentary / Japan Aug 20, 2020
Why Japan's opposition parties falter
by Michael MacArthur Bosack
Coalescing a viable opposition is not as simple as combining parties.
National / Politics Aug 20, 2019
CDP and DPP to 'join hands' in Japan's Diet in bid to thwart Abe's plans
by Sakura Murakami
In a move to counter the ruling bloc, Yukio Edano and Yuichiro Tamaki agreed Tuesday to merge their kaiha parliamentary groups in both houses of the Diet.
National / Politics Jul 22, 2019
Main opposition party CDP makes big gains in Japan's Upper House election
Opposition parties saw mixed results in Sunday's Upper House election, with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) making big gains while others struggled to attract support in a crowded field. The CDP, which ran on promises to postpone a planned consumption tax hike and ...
National / Politics Jul 21, 2019
Japan's opposition parties score upset in Akita but lose in Fukushima
Shizuka Terata, an independent jointly backed by four opposition parties, scored a major upset in the Upper House race in Akita Prefecture on Sunday by defeating incumbent Matsuji Nakaizumi of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Kyodo News said. The seat was considered one of the ...
National / Politics Jun 27, 2018
Abe says question time has outlived its usefulness
by Reiji Yoshida
The one-on-one question time of the prime minister by opposition party leaders — introduced in 2000 to reinvigorate parliamentary debates — has outlived its usefulness and no longer functions in the Diet, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe argued Wednesday. Abe made that remarks after Yukio Edano, ...
Editorials Apr 19, 2018
The splintered opposition camp needs to be rebuilt into a more united force that can compete with the ruling parties through policies that seek to address the nation's mounting challenges.
National / Politics Oct 27, 2017
DP leader Seiji Maehara to resign; Atsushi Oshima emerges as candidate to run Kibo no To
by Tomohiro Osaki
Democratic Party President Seiji Maehara steps down over his failure to unite the opposition camp ahead of the general election.
Editorials Sep 2, 2016
The Democratic Party needs to choose a leader capable of transforming the party into contender capable of taking over the reins of government.
National / Politics Aug 25, 2016
U.S.-friendly Maehara able to find common ground with LDP
by Eric Johnston
Former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, who is expected to run for president of the opposition Democratic Party, brings a wealth of experience and an America-friendly reputation to the race. Maehara represents the Kyoto No. 2 district in the Lower House, an area in the eastern ...
National / Politics Aug 5, 2016
Renho steps forward in bid to lead DP ahead of Sept. 15 vote
by Reiji Yoshida
The deputy leader of the Democratic Party announces she will run for its presidency, vowing to reform it into a viable alternative.
National / Politics Jun 7, 2016
Opposition parties, activists ink policy pact for Upper House election
The Democratic Party and three other opposition parties have signed a policy accord with a major activist group opposed to the controversial security laws pushed through by the ruling coalition last year. In the run-up to the July 10 Upper House election, the heads of ...
Editorials Mar 16, 2016
Without a common policy platform that can provide voters with a genuine alternative to the ruling coalition, the new leading opposition party's future won't be bright.