Ogawa Assumes Leader of CRA

To reconstruct the party suffered from significant defeat in the Lower House election, the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) had an election to elect its new leader on February 13th. Former secretary general of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), Jun-ya Ogawa, won against Takeshi Shina, former Parliamentary Vice-minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. Ogawa is going to deal with an important issue for the ailing party, which is to integrate former members of the CDPJ and Komeito. 

Immediately after the Lower House election on February 8th, in which it reduced its seats from 167 to 49, co-leaders of CRA, Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuya Saito, announced their resignation. The CRA has a rule that new leader will be elected by voting in a Joint Plenary Meeting of lawmakers in both chambers of Diet, when the leader’s seat becomes empty. As members of Upper House with the CDPJ and Komeito have not joined the CRA, the leader’s election was voted by 49 Lower House members.

 

Ogawa insisted on role of the largest opposition party, which would be watching the government, as Shina stressed constructive discussion against the leading parties rather than accusing of scandals. Although they made no obvious difference in their arguments for leadership, Ogawa defeated Shina with 27 votes against 22 for Shina. Ogawa raised some concepts for reconstructing the party, which were freedom and democracy, pacifism, focusing on every walk of life and transparent politics.

 

After winning the leader’s election, Ogawa criticized Takaichi’s economic slogan called responsible and proactive public finances. He argued that setting a target of governmental deficit, which is under control of the government, against GDP, that is uncontrollable for the government, might not be a responsible discussion, quoting interest hike of long-term governmental bonds and decline of credibility of Japanese yen.

 

However, it is not easy for Ogawa to unify his young party, which was born last month by integration of the CDPJ and Komeito. Both parties decided to remain as themselves in the Upper House without participating in the CRA. Although the LDP achieved two-thirds majority in the Lower House, it does not have a simple majority in the Upper House. Whether the CDPJ and Komeito can take unified action in the Upper House will affect procedure of the Diet.

 

The CRA still embraces differences in some policies. While former Komeito members are relatively positive on constitutional amendment, those from the CDPJ are still skeptical about it. Trying to take his position in the middle of them, Ogawa indicated a possibility to approve a constitutional amendment of adding “self-defense force” in the provision of Article 9 of the constitution. But he later corrected his remark, considering argument of constitutional protectionists.

 

On the building of new military base in Henoko, Okinawa, Komeito promotes it, but the CDPJ has been negative. Ogawa insisted that the construction is not welcomed by everyone, without presenting an alternative idea. As voters for CDPJ in the Lower House election showed a greater reluctancy toward the CRA than Komeito supporters, it is a major concern for Ogawa whether liberal people will follow the course made with cooperation with former leading party.

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