Elections

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura To Run For JIP Leader; Campaigning Begins Sunday With Voting On Dec. 1

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Japan Innovation Party coleader Hirofumi Yoshimura on Oct. 15

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:26 JST, November 12, 2024

Japan Innovation Party coleader Hirofumi Yoshimura, the governor of Osaka Prefecture, announced his intention to run in the party’s Dec. 1 leadership election at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Osaka on Tuesday.

Official campaigning is to begin on Sunday.

Current party leader Nobuyuki Baba has already announced that he will not run in the election, following the JIP’s loss of six seats in the recent House of Representatives election, which left the party with 38 seats. In light of this, Osaka-based members of the House of Representatives urged Yoshimura to step up as a candidate.

Other potential candidates for the leadership race include House of Representatives member Seiki Soramoto from Hiroshima Constituency No. 4 and House of Councillors member Shigefumi Matsuzawa from the Kanagawa constituency. However, they have not yet secured the required endorsements from 50 party members who hold an elective office needed to run.