Edano Eager to Make Comeback as Head of Opposition CDPJ, Battling Strong Criticism Over 2021 Lower House Election

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, August 23, 2024

Yukio Edano, former head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, has expressed his strong desire to once again become party president.

Edano has announced his candidacy for the CDPJ’s leadership election next month, for which campaigning will start on Sept. 7. Voting is set to take place on Sept. 23.

While some have high expectations due to Edano’s extensive political experience — he founded the predecessor of the CDPJ in 2017 — there is also deep-rooted criticism over the party’s defeat in the 2021 House of Representatives election under his leadership. It remains uncertain whether he will be able to expand his support in the CDPJ.

“The public is seeking options for new politics. [The CDPJ] needs to evolve into a party for the people in the new age that can replace the Liberal Democratic Party,” Edano, 60, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Edano’s major support base is the CDPJ group known as Sanctuary, the largest group in the party. Some Sanctuary members describe Edano as having more substance than the current party head Kenta Izumi, given Edano’s political career to have served as chief cabinet secretary under the rule of the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan.

“He is the man who will be able to take on the LDP, which will also have a new president,” one member said.

The CDPJ lost 14 seats in the 2021 lower house election that took place during Edano’s leadership. This was partly attributed to its agreement with the Japan Communist Party that if a change in administration was realized, the JCP would cooperate with the CDPJ in a limited, non-cabinet role.

“Edano bears a heavy political responsibility,” a mid-ranking party member said.

Edano said at the Wednesday news conference that he will reorganize the cooperative relationship among political parties. He denied working with other parties across the board nationwide, apparently in an effort to reverse his image of emphasizing the CDPJ-JCP cooperation.

Edano also did not touch on the “zero nuclear power” policy he has touted, apparently out of consideration for the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) and party lawmakers affiliated with that organization.

Edano is believed to be struggling to gain support within the party. At the press conference, he did not make clear whether he has secured the support of 20 members needed to nominate him to run in the presidential race.

“There is still time until campaigning starts. I’ll work to gain support from a wide range of members,” he said.

Mabuchi declares intention to run

The CDPJ’s Sumio Mabuchi, a former land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, has expressed his intention to run in the presidential election.

On Wednesday, Mabuchi received requests to run at the Diet Building from four lower house members and others.

“I gravely accept [the requests]. I’ll consider carefully what to do,” he told reporters.