A leadership competition has emerged within the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan as they aim to position themselves as a credible alternative to the ruling coalition ahead of the next Lower House election. The four contenders, Yoshihiko Noda, Yukio Edano, Kenta Izumi, and Harumi Yoshida, have officially entered the race, with Izumi seeking re-election as party president at a special convention on September 23.
During a joint press conference held at the party headquarters on September 7, Noda, who previously served as Japan's prime minister from 2011 to 2012 under the Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for a recent political fund scandal and stressed the importance of political transformation. Meanwhile, Edano highlighted the necessity of holding LDP lawmakers accountable for undisclosed political funds to ensure genuine political revitalization.
Kenta Izumi, the current party president elected in 2021, pledged to harness the strengths of Japanese industry and the nation as a whole as part of his campaign. Harumi Yoshida, a first-term Lower House member, expressed her vision for "life-size politics" that transcend traditional norms, gaining endorsements from party lawmakers and positioning herself as a candidate dedicated to unconventional approaches.
The upcoming leadership election is considered a crucial step for the party, with potential implications for the political landscape leading up to the Lower House election. The candidates' stances on cooperation with other opposition parties, including forming coalitions and collaboration strategies, will be central to the discussion during the campaigning period, featuring debates and public speeches across the nation as part of the election process.