Japan’s Opposition Party DPFP’s Yuichiro Tamaki Reelected as Party Leader, Defeating Seiji Maehara

Jiji Press

17:46 JST, September 2, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Yuichiro Tamaki, incumbent leader of the Democratic Party for the People, was reelected on Saturday.

In an election held at an extraordinary meeting of the opposition party, Tamaki, 54, defeated his only rival, Seiji Maehara, 61, who holds the title of acting DPFP head.

Under Tamaki, the party is expected to maintain its attitude of not ruling out cooperation with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Tamaki’s new term is set to run until the end of September 2026.

After the election, Tamaki announced that he will retain Kazuya Shinba as the party’s secretary general.

The election results show that party members “have approved the way the party is run,” Tamaki said later at a news conference.

He also said that he will be open to working with other parties, regardless of whether they are in the ruling or opposition camp, over policies, rather than focusing just on opposition parties.

Tamaki and Maehara contested for 111 points, with the former securing 80 points and the latter 31 points.

Of the 55 points distributed to the party’s Diet members and planned candidates for the next election of the House of Representatives, 34 were for Tamaki.

He also bagged 23 of the 28 available points allocated to the party’s local assembly members and 23 of the 28 points given to other DPFP members and supporters.

The focus of the leadership race was whether to cooperate with the LDP and whether to deepen its ties with other opposition parties, such as Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party).

While aiming to expand the DPFP’s influence all on its own, Tamaki said that the party will not rule out the option of working with the LDP to realize policies.

On the other hand, Maehara proposed uniting opposition parties excluding the Japanese Communist Party to achieve a change of government.