CRA Still in Trouble for Integration

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), the largest opposition party in the Lower House, is still in trouble for integrating its allies, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and Komeito in the Upper House and local assemblies all over Japan. While Komeito decided to join the CRA soon, the CDPJ still hesitates to be the member of CRA. A miserable defeat in the Lower House election in February fundamentally damaged confidence of CRA as alternative to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

After underground negotiation since last October when Komeito left the leading coalition with the LDP, the Lower House members of CDPJ and Kimeito established CRA in January, just before Prime Ministr Sanae Takaichi called a snap election. The result was catastrophic. The CRA reduced its seats from 172 to 49. The party concluded that the establishment of new party could not remove a criticism on instant party aimed at an election and it was a miscalculation that the merge would yield a certain advantage.

 

After the Lower House election, the members of the CDPJ and Komeito in the Upper House kept on considering when they join the CRA. In early June, Komeito decided to participate in the CRA possibly within current session of the Diet which would close mid-July. However, the CDPJ is still unclear whether they will join the CRA. They are still skeptical about advantage of the merger with Komeito, considering next Upper House election scheduled in the summer 2028.

 

Before that, the members of local assemblies will have unified local elections in next April. Komeito has its 2,850 local assembly members, while the CDPJ does 1,200. They have been competing each other in local elections, as the coalition partner of the LDP and top opposition party. There are a lot of examples in local assemblies in which Komeito still keeps friendly relationship with the LDP. Most local organizations of Komeito and the CDPJ do not take actions to join the CRA before the unified local elections.

 

Difference between the CDPJ and Komeito over certain policies is serious. Komeito is willing to approve expanding security cooperation with foreign countries, such as acquisition and cross-serving agreement with some like-minded countries, because Komeito has been promoting it as a coalition partner with the LDP in the past. However, the CDPJ is restrictive to make security agreement with foreign countries, as it still recognizes security legislation in 2015 as partly unconstitutional.

 

While Komeito promotes building a new military base in Henoko, Okinawa, the CDPJ rejects it. For the gubernatorial election in coming September, Okinawa branch of Komeito is considering support for a candidate with the LDP. The CDPJ is supposed to back up incumbent governor who firmly oppose building the base. It is unlikely for Komeito and the CDPJ in Okinawa to be integrated as the members of the CRA for the time being.

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