Ex-opposition heavyweight Edano negative on forming new party

Saitama – Former Japanese opposition heavyweight Yukio Edano has sounded negative about forming a new political party.

Discussing his future political activities at a meeting with his supporters in the city of Saitama on Saturday, Edano said, “Once a political party is established, it should not be changed as much as possible. I am basically thinking about how we should make much of parties that we have now.”

Edano, former chief Cabinet secretary, failed to retain his House of Representatives seat in the Feb. 8 general election for the Lower House in which he ran on a ticket of the opposition Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA).

The CRA was formed in January, in the lead-up to the election, by then Lower House members of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and Komeito.

The CRA initially planned to merge with the CDP and Komeito following the Lower House poll. But the integration plan was canceled in the wake of the CRA’s crushing defeat in the election, and the party was effectively disbanded in September. Former CRA members who are originally from the CDP launched the new opposition Democratic Reform Party later that month.

At Saturday’s meeting, Edano, the founder of the CDP, mentioned the establishment and effective dissolution of the CRA, and said, “Public distrust of political realignment is growing.”

“There is no way to regain trust by changing the structure or name of a party,” he said, adding, “Such moves would be counterproductive.”

“I myself would like to return to the starting point of the establishment of the CDP,” hinting at his intention to rejoin the party.

While urging the CDP and the Democratic Reform Party to make a decision soon on whether they would merge, Edano said, “Based on the policy of the CDP, I want to reach a final conclusion on my own course of action.”