Japan’s main opposition Thursday decided not to run candidates in the upcoming election, effectively joining forces with a new party formed by popular Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike in a bid to topple Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The move capped a stunning few days on Japan’s sleepy political scene
Tokyo (AFP) – Japan’s main opposition Thursday decided not to run candidates in the upcoming election, effectively joining forces with a new party formed by popular Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike in a bid to topple Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The move capped a stunning few days on Japan’s sleepy political scene that has seen the calling of a snap election, the creation of Koike’s dynamic new « Party of Hope » and the effective unification of opposition to Abe’s conservative government.
The centre-left Democratic Party (DP) approved its leader Seiji Maehara’s proposal not to field candidates in the October 22 poll. Members should instead apply to represent Koike’s new group, Maehara said.
« We must stop the Abe government and achieve a change of administration, » said Maehara, a political veteran and former foreign minister.
