CDPJ leader names rivals to key party posts

The Yomiuri Shimbun

December 1, 2021

Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Kenta Izumi announced Wednesday his intention to appoint Chinami Nishimura, a former state minister of health, labor and welfare, as secretary general of the party.

Izumi is to appoint Seiji Osaka as the CDPJ’s executive deputy leader, and Junya Ogawa as the Policy Research Council chairman. Both Osaka and Ogawa are former parliamentary vice ministers of internal affairs and communications.

Nishimura, Osaka and Ogawa all competed with Izumi in the leadership election on Tuesday. Izumi said at a press conference after the election that he would appoint them all to executive positions.

Former Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Sumio Mabuchi is expected to serve as the Diet Affairs Committee chairperson, and Kensuke Onishi, a member of the House of Representatives, as chairperson of the Election Strategy Committee.