Photo/Illutration Nobuyuki Baba, head of Nippon Ishin, left, and Fumitake Fujita, the party secretary-general, meet reporters in Osaka’s Chuo Ward on June 25. (Takashi Yoshikawa)

Rising opposition party Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) announced its decision June 25 to field candidates in six Lower House single-seat constituencies in the Kansai region where Komeito incumbents hold seats. 

Nippon Ishin head Nobuyuki Baba said the strategy will take effect when the next Lower House election is held.

Komeito is the junior partner in the ruling coalition.

Nippon Ishin had not previously fielded candidates in the six constituencies in an effort to win Komeito’s cooperation for the party’s proposal to create an Osaka metropolitan administration, but has now changed course.

Baba said in April that the party will “reset” its relationship with Komeito after Osaka Ishin no Kai, Nippon Ishin’s regional party, gained a majority of seats both in the Osaka prefectural and municipal assemblies in the unified local elections.

Earlier the same day, Nippon Ishin held a standing board meeting in Osaka to discuss how to respond to the next Lower House election in the six constituencies: the No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 16 districts in Osaka Prefecture and the No. 2 and No. 8 constituencies in Hyogo Prefecture.

It was decided that all the constituencies will field candidates.

“There will be no further discussions with Komeito,” Baba told reporters after the meeting. “We have no choice but to move forward.”

Kansai is an important region for Komeito because six of the nine Lower House members elected in single-seat constituencies nationwide are from Osaka and Hyogo prefectures.

Even if Ishin were to raise the idea of holding another referendum on its metropolitan administration plan, the cooperation of Komeito in both assemblies would no longer be necessary, given the party’s election gains in April.

Related News