Japan's newly expanded opposition Constitutional Democratic Party has been launched, with its leader vowing to challenge the new government set to start on Wednesday.
The largest opposition group held an inaugural meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday. It was attended by 150 lawmakers and others, including Kozu Rikio, the president of the country's largest labor union group, Rengo.
CDP leader Edano Yukio said people have given up hope for politics in the last seven years and eight months of the government led by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, and opposition parties have been unable to clearly offer an alternative to the administration during that period. He said he feels deeply responsible for that, but now is the time for the new opposition party to present a fresh option.
Edano referred to Suga Yoshihide, who was elected the new president of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party and who is expected to be chosen as prime minister in a Diet election on Wednesday. Edano says he will challenge Suga and ask him how he intends to deal with the current crisis, and what kind of society he aims to create. He said he will convey the voices of the public.
The members approved the party platform that calls for respecting freedom and diversity, and creating a society in which people mutually support one another.
The party also approved the leadership, including Secretary-General Fukuyama Tetsuro, Chairperson of the Policy Research Council Izumi Kenta, Diet Affairs chief Azumi Jun, and deputy leader and election strategy chief Hirano Hirofumi.
