Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan


The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan; CDP), frequently abbreviated to Minshutō, Rikkentō or Ritsumintō is a centre-left political party in Japan. The party is led by Yukio Edano.

History

The party was formed from a centre-left split from the opposition Democratic Party in the run up to the 2017 general election. Prior to the election on 28 September 2017, the DP House of Representatives caucus dissolved in order for party members to stand as candidates for Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike's Party of Hope or as independents in the upcoming election. The new party was launched on 2 October by DP deputy leader Yukio Edano at a press conference in Tokyo for liberals and left-leaning members of the DP who do not wish to, or were rejected for, contesting the election as candidates for the Party of Hope.
On 3 October 2017, it was announced that the new party would not contest seats where former Democrats were running as Party of Hope candidates, a gesture which was not returned when the Party of Hope ran a candidate in Edano's incumbent district. The Japanese Communist Party, in turn, pulled their own candidate from running in Edano's district so as to not take away votes from him. The party won a total of 55 seats, becoming the leading opposition party and leading the pacifist bloc to become the largest opposition bloc.

Ideology

The party opposes the proposed revision of Article 9 of Japan's postwar constitution. The party supports the phasing out of nuclear energy in Japan, and government investment in renewable energy, and supports the freeze in the rise of consumption tax. The party does not support the legalization and maintenance of casinos. The party also supports "building a society that supports each other and makes full use of individuality and creativity."

Leadership

Presidents

Election results

2017 General election results

2019 Councillors election results