Nippon Ishin coleader Katayama to step down due to poor health

Jiji Press

November 27, 2021

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Toranosuke Katayama, coleader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), has decided to step down due to his poor health condition, a senior Nippon Ishin member said Friday.

The party executive said the decision by Katayama has been informed by a relative of his. His resignation is expected to be announced at an extraordinary party convention on Saturday.

Katayama has been elected five times to the House of Councillors. His first election was in 1989, when he ran as a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

After losing his upper house seat in 2007, Katayama left the LDP. He then joined Nippon Ishin and has served as a coleader since 2015.