CRA Broken Down into Komeito and New Party

The biggest opposition party, Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), decided to separate itself into two groups, former Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and former Komeito. Their attempt to form an alternative power to ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the Diet resulted in a failure, facing a criticism on a maneuver for their own survival in elections. This short-lived new party miserably disappears only to have encouraged unilateral rule of the LDP led by populist leader, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

In the meeting of board members on September 9th, the CRA decided that all of its affiliated lawmakers except one would leave the party before next extraordinary session which is expected to be convoked in early October. “I am responsible for failing in integrating three parties. We decided to go a new course to manage current situation,” said the leader of CRA, Jun-ya Ogawa.

 

They took a unique way for settlement. Former Komeito lawmakers will leave the CRA and get back to Komeito which still exists in the Upper House. Former CDPJ members will establish a new party which is expected to be joined by current CDPJ members in the Upper House. One lawmaker staying in the CRA will deal with political fund which is expected to be provided later this year.

 

The CRA will receive 2.34 billion yen of subsidy in 2026 and it has already accepted 1.17 billion yen. If the CRA disappears, the rest of 1.17 billion yen will not be delivered. That is why one lawmaker will stay in the CRA to receive the fund later this year. Ogawa explained that the fund will be appropriated to CRA’s debt for the election campaign in February.

 

The subsidy for the CRA will be succeeded by the new party which former CDPJ lawmakers will launch. Komeito will not receive it. But the subsidy will be issued to a party with only one member, which will not take any effective political activity. Although the CRA has been accusing the LDP of its management of political fund, the CRA can be criticized on its control of the subsidy.

 

Regardless party affiliation, it is expected that the lawmakers who leave the CRA will form a parliamentary group in the Lower House. However, those lawmakers still differ in some important policies including constitutional amendment, security policy, nuclear power generation or new military base in Okinawa. No one knows whether that parliamentary group can take unified action in the Diet and how long it lasts.

 

The LDP, which does not have a simple majority in the Upper House, expects Komeito to be cooperative in such issues as consumption tax cut. Opposition parties are divided between conservatives that welcome decline of liberal power and others that regret the setback of anti-LDP power. The hope of constructing major power against current ruling power has significantly shrunk.

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